A casual comment from a white farmer sparked the conversation. She suggested that Black people avoid farming because they “had to do it” in the past, and no longer want to now. The remark was not malicious, but it carried the weight of historical misunderstanding — a perspective shaped by privilege rather than lived experience. Mama Ross recognized her curiosity, but also recognized the gap. She stepped into that space with clarity.
Black farmers, she explained, never rejected the land. They rejected the discrimination attached to it.
The Truth About Black Farming Traditions
Black families have always grown food — with pride, intentionality, and cultural flavor. Even in housing projects with limited space, gardens appeared wherever a patch of soil could be found. Grandmothers planted greens behind back doors. Parents raised children on seasoned dishes cooked with vegetables grown just steps away.
Black folks love farming, she said. They love eating what they grew with their own hands. The obstacles were never about the soil. They were about the systems surrounding it.
Discrimination, land loss, and lack of access created barriers that had nothing to do with willingness or ability. And yet, the tradition endured.
A Declaration of Identity
As the conversation unfolded, Mama Ross shared something deeper — a profound pride in who she is and where she comes from. If she could choose, she’d return to this world again as a Black woman. Not despite the struggles. But strengthened by them.
She embraced her heritage, her identity, and the legacy passed down through generations who tilled, nurtured, and protected the land. Her words carried power:
Being a Black farmer is not a limitation.
It is a lineage.
A blessing.
A joy.
More Than Farming — It’s Belonging
Farming, for Black communities, has always been more than agricultural labor. It is culture, memory, nourishment, and autonomy. It’s the taste of homegrown food seasoned to perfection. It’s resilience passed quietly from one generation to the next.
The narrative that Black farmers “don’t want to farm” collapses under the weight of reality — because the truth is far richer, rooted in history, heart, and an enduring relationship with the land.
