This Week’s Lesson: Freedom is not held alone. It is tended through collective action.
This Fourth of July
More than a century and a half ago, Frederick Douglass asked what the Fourth of July meant to the enslaved.
He was not rejecting freedom. He was demanding honesty. He was asking America to look at the distance between the story it told about itself and the truth people were living. As a community we should continue to examine our story and our realities, while celebrating together.
This past Sunday, we experienced the power of community coming together around the farm with intention. Our Farm to Table Dinner was more than a beautiful meal. It was a celebration of the season, the soil, the chefs, the hands that harvested, and the people who chose to gather with us.
To every guest who attended, thank you. To every sponsor who helped make the evening possible, thank you. To every chef, team member, volunteer, partner, and friend who helped with planning, preparation, setup, service, and care behind the scenes, thank you.
A special shout out to Glenn Burkins of QCity Metroand Tom Haberstroh of Pack Your Knives and CRVAfor elevating this event and telling the story of our work. An event like this does not happen by accident. It is built by many hands, and we are grateful.
That night reminded us that farming is not just about land. It is about the work, the people, the culture, and the relationships that keep the land alive.
That is the story we want told.
As we reflect on freedom, independence, and revolutionary acts, Douglass's question reaches directly into the work we do here in Charlotte. What is the celebration of farmland if we are not fighting to preserve the farmer? What is the truth of farming in our community?
The truth is, there are not many of us stewarding land inside the city. When people speak about local agriculture, they are often speaking about farms outside of Charlotte and, many times, outside of Mecklenburg County. Food production is often hidden from public view. That is why we are vocal about our work.
Deep Roots is one of the few farms in Charlotte Mecklenburg still growing food for our neighbors, hiring from our own community, teaching agricultural skills, and programing on the farm so families, elders, chefs, children, and neighbors can see that farming still lives here.
That belongs in the story of local agriculture in this city.
Not just the story of the land. The story of the work. The story of the people. The story of the farmer.
We say this with purpose, not bitterness. We are proud of what we've built, and we are grateful for every person who chooses to be part of it. This is our collective freedom. Each of us doing our part.
When you buy from us, visit the farm, share our work, bring your children here, invite others in, or speak our name in rooms where local agriculture is being discussed, you help keep this story honest. You help keep this work visible. You help us to sustain farmland and the farmer.
This Fourth of July, we are celebrating freedom the way we know how. Engaged in stewardship. Growing. Passing it forward.
Here is what is happening on the farm this week.
The Jzar Family at Deep Roots CPS Farm
———
Find Us at the Uptown Farmers Market, Saturday July 4
We will be at the Uptown Farmers Market this Saturday, July 4, from 8:00 AM to 12:30 PM, at 300 South Davidson Street, in the parking lot of First Baptist Church. Stop by and get your share of the harvest.
This week we are especially excited about our cucumbers. Alongside our pickling cucumbers, we are bringing a beautiful range of specialty varieties: Armenian Long, Marketmore, Japanese, Gagon, Dragon's Egg, Salt and Pepper, Indian Snake, and Aonaga Jibai. Come find your favorite and take home a taste of summer.
~ This week's harvest ~
Here is what we are bringing to market this week.
Arugula, beets, cucumbers, leeks, baby kale, kale, chard, yellow squash, zucchini, green beans, green onions, heirloom tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, white onions, shallots, garlic, and a small offering of sugar plums and peaches. Potatoes: Yukon, Pontiac, and Fingerlings.
Fresh herbs include basil, African blue basil, chamomile, cilantro, chives, sage, rosemary, oregano, parsley, tarragon, mint, and thyme. We also have English lavender flower bunches and edible flowers this week.
Chicken eggs and duck eggs are also available.
Gourmet mushrooms: Chestnut, King Oyster, Oyster, and Shiitake. Our signature drinks: Ginger Mint Lemonade and Lavender Lemonade. Flower bouquet vases will also be available in limited quantities.
To learn more about our CSA, workshops, Sunday tours, and the rhythm of this farm, visit us at
