Meet Brien Darby of Cultivate KC

Today we’d like to introduce you to Brien Darby.

Hi Brien, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I got started in urban agriculture in the early 2000’s in Denver, CO. I was involved in a movement to bring more options for growing food to low-resource communities. This included community gardens, community farms, partnerships with public housing sites and skills training related to both gardening and farming.

Over the years, I started to view my work in urban agriculture through the lens of public health and equity, both for consumers and producers. Prior to moving back to Kansas City, I had been with the Denver Botanic Gardens, the American Community Gardening Association and earned my Masters of Public Health degree from the Colorado School of Public Health. My path to Cultivate KC this past January was fortuitous as it brought me back to the city of my birth, and it brought me to an organization with a history of providing services to improve economic outcomes for farmers. My background in urban farming, farmer training and technical assistance, food access work, and outreach to global populations was a good fit for the organization.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Nothing about farming or life in an urban environment are ever smooth! So much of this type of food systems work is dependent on government and private funding; policies beyond our control can alter a program overnight. And just like any job in agriculture or non-profit work, people burn out. Every few years, it feels like you are reestablishing your key partnerships and sometimes distribution models. It takes a lot of work to stay current and stay connected.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Cultivate KC?
Cultivate KC is an urban agriculture non-profit that grows food, farms and community. We look for ways to provide better economic and social viability for urban farmers in the metro Kansas City area. This includes providing technical assistance, grant making, educational opportunities, networking, marketing assistance and advocating for local policies to benefit urban farms and onsite sales. We are also collaborators in the Double Up Food Bucks program, which provides matching funds for farmers market shoppers receiving federal food assistance. These consumers are able to spend twice as much on fresh, local produce and the farmers selling at market realize the economic benefit. Our last program area is a 9 acre business incubator and training farm located in Kansas City, KS that supports the New Roots for Refugees program. Farmers in our program come from countries in Africa and Southeast Asia and mostly have an agricultural background. While many of our programs are primarily focused on supporting farmers, we do educate the public on the importance of local food and we create opportunities for interaction with farmers and chefs who source local.

What was your favorite childhood memory?
I love being outdoors. My parents were particularly fond of hunting for morel mushrooms and I have very fond memories of our hikes to seek out the elusive morels and collect rocks and snail shells along the way.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.cultivatekc.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cultivatekc/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CultivateKansasCity
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/CultivateKC

Image Credits
Alicia Alferman
Mary Nguyen