The Detroit Black Farmer Land Fund’s annual Juneteenth celebration will commemorate a six-year legacy of supporting urban farmers in the city.
On June 19th, 2020, three long-standing Detroit urban farming organizations — The Detroit Black Food Security Network, Oakland Avenue Urban Farm, and Keep Growing Detroit — united under the collective mission of rebuilding inter-generational land ownership and strengthening food sovereignty.
There are over 100,000 vacant land parcels in the city of Detroit, many resulting from heavy job losses in the auto industry, white flight, and mass demolitions of empty homes by the city. The fund’s director, Gabrielle Knox, said the modern Detroit urban farming movement was built out of a need to care for those plots.
“You had neighbors who were taking care of the properties next door to them just to beautify their own community, to protect their own neighborhoods,” Knox told Stateside this week. “They were coming out and cutting the grass, caring for this land, which kind of grew into agricultural projects.”
The fund provides grants and support to help Black growers purchase land, build infrastructure, and achieve food sovereignty. It was launched to protect local Black farmers at risk of losing vacant land lots they were cultivating through sale or reclamation.
Knox said the Fund's mission is informed by the historical land loss experienced by Black Americans.
“How do we make that right within our city?” Knox said. “How do we help some of these farmers and people who have been pouring their heart and their life into this land actually become landowners of this land and kind of take away the possibility of them losing what they've invested so much in?”
It started in 2020 with a fundraising goal of $5,000. That year they raised $90,000. Since then, the fund has given out 307 grants, helping 97 awardees become landowners and many more complete infrastructure projects.
Detroit homeowners can often purchase vacant lots adjacent or near their homes from The Detroit Land Bank — which owns the majority of the city’s vacant lots — for just $100 or $250. However, prospective urban farmers often need additional funds and technical support to cultivate the land.
Juneteenth also marks the opening of the Fund’s 2026 award application. Applicants are evaluated on their ties to Detroit, community engagement plans, land-use goals, and land purchase readiness.
“Essentially right now we are an engine for creating new farmers,” Knox said. “A lot of folks who've never been a part of the urban ag scene are able to come through us and buy land for the first time and begin this process, and also become a part of a larger community.”
The Fund is hosting its annual Juneteenth celebration this Saturday at Oakland Avenue Urban Farm in Detroit from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event will include hands-on educational workshops on land purchasing and permitting, live music, a community drum circle, food, and fundraisers.
