The Food Initiative & The Fine Fettle

Up the road in Clarksville, Tn, there's some cool things going on. One that has caught our eye lately is The Food Initiative, a 501(c)3 non profit organization in Montgomery County, TN. Their 12 acre farm is an instrument to bring the community together to learn and experience the food system first hand. They grow a wide variety of organically grown, seasonal produce as well as raise laying hens, goats and pigs. All of the operations on the farm are conducted in a sustainable manner.

The food harvested at The Food Initiative is dispersed throughout the community in several ways: through our CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) Program, through local hunger relief organizations, and at the Clarksville Downtown Market.

The Summer Youth Program (SYP)

The Food Initiative’s SYP connects high school students in grades 9th-11th  from all over Clarksville/ Montgomery County and Fort Campbell. The youth work hard in our sustainable garden and the community at hunger relief organizations for four weeks over the summer. Each youth is sponsored by a business or willing so he or she may receive a stipend for their hard work.

Diversity is critical to the unique culture we’re seeking to create. We can see that racism and inequity persist in our society, and we believe that when people from diverse backgrounds learn to work together and engage in cross-cultural learning, they break down isolation, fear, and hatred. A nation with such diversity needs leaders and citizens who can thrive within a multicultural society and world.

For this very reason, we carefully select teenagers from a variety of economic, ethnic, religious, and social backgrounds to participate in our programs. We choose not to isolate one at-risk group to the exclusion of another. We want teenagers from all walks of life to work together, to learn from one another, and to create a safe and productive environment where people of all backgrounds feel invited and empowered to contribute fully.