August 27, 2020

Meet Lelo Jones of Outdoor Fresh Farm in Westside Atlanta

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lelo Jones.

Lelo, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Atlanta is home for me. I grew up in what’s known as the SWATS, right off of Cascade and Beecher Rd. I spent a lot of time with my grandmother. We would always watch the nature channel together, which is what I believe sparked my love for the environment. After playing football in college and graduating, I came back home and started to notice how wack our food system is. I’ve seen the city progress for the better in a lot of ways. But there are many neighborhoods still experiencing high rates of poverty. People have a hard enough time just trying to figure out how to pay the rent, so eating healthy is usually not the main priority.

But it’s more than that, it’s also an issue of access. In neighborhoods located in what are known as “food deserts”, people struggle to get affordable, nutritious food. Ultimately, these communities experience higher rates of diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease, all because the only food available to them is full of sugar and sodium. I couldn’t just stand by and watch my people suffer… I had to do something.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No, it has not been a smooth road for me. The main struggle from the start of my journey with Outdoor Fresh Farm has been lack of land ownership. Right now, we do not have have a permanent location, so we’re renting acres of land for use. I’m constantly in search of the perfect setup where we can expand the brand while having the biggest impact on the communities most in need.

However, we are in the process of expanding our operations to other cities where we will have the land we need to serve more people and begin producing Outdoor Fresh Farm branded products. So please stay tuned for some big announcements coming soon!

Outdoor Fresh Farm – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I am the founder of Outdoor Fresh Farm. I created OFF with the vision of uplifting the community by teaching others to reconnect with the soil. I am well-known for my unconventional approach as an educator, urban farmer, and food activist. I believe that by reconnecting with the soil we have the power to heal the planet and each other.

In 1920, there were nearly a million black farmers in the United States. Today, we only make up around 1% of the farming population. I created Outdoor Fresh Farm as a way to help improve the health of my people – physically and mentally. It’s time for us to regain the knowledge that’s been lost over generations due to racism and discrimination. I don’t expect everyone to suddenly become a farmer, but I think we have a responsibility to be conscious about what we consume. Right now, the black community is experiencing an awakening. It’s time we heal and grow our own communities. I believe we can do it… all it takes is a seed.

What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
The proudest moment for me so far has been launching our volunteer days at the farm. The very first event that we held had over 60 volunteers. Killer Mike came out to support and speak to the people about the history of black farming and why it’s so important that we stay connected to the land. At that moment, I knew what we had was special. I was amazed at how many people wanted to be a part of what Outdoor Fresh Farm has to offer. And of course, I was honored to have someone like Killer Mike, a well-respected artist, activist, and fellow-Atlien, be there supporting my dream and the community.

Contact Info: