SOUTH TALLAHASSEE, FL — Just months ago, Jennifer Brantley had never planted a seed. Now she's growing food at home amid rising grocery costs.
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"I've learned that I could grow what I eat. The very things that I purchase in the grocery store on a weekly, monthly basis I can actually grow myself," Brantley said.
Brantley is one of the participants in Let's Move Forward Now: Gardening with Families, a South Tallahassee program teaching residents how to grow their own food.
"It cuts down on the grocery bill. Inflation is continuing to go up, and so why not?" Brantley said.
Lead farmer Lynn Jones says the effort is about more than gardening.
She says many families on the South side often have to catch a bus, walk, or get an Uber to access food, and she wants to be part of the change.
"We're just working on food security, making sure people have access to food at least within the one mile radius of their homes, and on our side we don't have that," Jones said.
Jones says families can start growing food at home in containers or community gardens. While it can take months to reach harvest, neighbors already growing produce are helping fill the gap.
"We have tomatoes growing. We have cucumbers growing. We have squash growing. We have watermelons growing. So, if you need that right now, just let us know, and we'll help you get it," Jones said.
For Brantley, the rewards have come quickly. Just months after planting her first seeds, she says she's already seeing results and gaining confidence.
"My confidence is building, and so now, I feel that I could grow anything," Brantley said.
Jones says the program is still growing, and she's currently looking for more families to get involved as she works to create a more affordable and connected community.
Those interested can contact Farmer Jones at this email address: lmfngwf@gmail.com.
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