Growing High Point: Urban Agriculture & Community Food Systems

Growing High Point: Urban Agriculture & Community Food Systems

Growing High Point is a community-based initiative that transforms vacant lots into productive urban farms, trains new growers, expands access to fresh food, and strengthens neighborhood resilience. Its work is especially focused on developing women farmers (“FarmHers”) and creating opportunities for households to participate directly in food production.

Why This Matters for ACSC:

• Urban agriculture reduces food insecurity at the household and neighborhood level.
• It builds capacity through hands-on learning and workforce development.
• It activates unused land, stabilizes communities, and increases local economic value.
• It strengthens health outcomes by improving access to fresh produce.
• It demonstrates how small-scale systems can be scaled across a city.

ACSC Commentary:
Growing High Point is an ideal example of a localized sustainability project that blends food systems, workforce development, and community revitalization. It aligns with ACSC’s focus on household-level resilience, cooperative development, and 15-minute city design. This project illustrates how a community-centered model can scale when supported by councils, coalitions, and coordinated policy.

This Growing High Point case study will help guide ACSC’s future work in urban agriculture, food systems planning, and community-based sustainability initiatives.