Nebedaye Farms

The Problem

We were introduced to Benard Singleton, owner of Nebedaye Farms in the fall of 2020 by CMPD. They said it was a black farmer who needed help and was worth looking into to which we did.

We saw he was just in the news from being a target of a racist attack, stories we’d come to see for ourselves working on the land.

An older gentleman who named the farm after his son who’d just passed, the one person who inspired him to take the farming serious. So all the work that followed is a dedication to him. But once we arrived in September, there wasn’t much but a couple unfinished outhouse, a few Moringa crops and untilled land. So we rolled up our sleeves and helped build what you see today

  • The main issue was crop production and garden bed buildout to start producing sales and bring product to market

  • Upon arrival, only Benard would till the land. The issue was getting people aware of the farm and willing to drive to Indian Trail

  • Safe, weatherproof sheltering for Benard, his employees and animals were needed

  • Documented in the news, multiple neighbors didn’t like to see a person of color nearby, which made progress and certain projects stall

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Our Solution

Revamp agreed to roll up our sleeves and helped get this farm to market. First we helped with buildout of the outhouse foundation and cleaning, organizing the equipment shed to making finding, using tools quicker.

After this outhouses, we helped build raised garden beds, tend moringa, fruit and other existing crops as well as starting and troubleshooting the water supply to the rice field by rerouting and extending the pipes.

After, we began bringing volunteers, laborers and employees to assist full-time, as well as hosting CMPD Summer Program youth and bridging a MSCO partnership for a potential diversion-employment program for offenders in Mecklenburg.

The animals we tended to were a baby goat named Chocolate, a rooster, dog and horse, whose barn was built on site in partnership with Charlotte Cowboys.

  • Gathering, measuring and cutting materials for the garden beds, horse barn and outhouses

  • Clean and sanitize walkways, remove debris, weeds and organizing the outhouse, kitchen and storage spaces

  • In partnership with Charlotte Cowboys, we brought a horse to the farm and built a barn as a joint partnership

  • Helping bring farm-to-marlet and an active presence as a vendor at local markets Uptown and on shelves

  • Bringing CMPD Summer Camp youth for an activation and MSCO to procure a diversion reentry home program