D-Town Farm is a multi-acre agricultural operation on Detroit’s West side.

D-Town Farm had its annual Harvest Festival, “What’s Growing On: Cultivating the Rich Legacy of the Detroit African American Agricultural Tradition” over the weekend of September 21-22 with a celebration that included food, music, crafts, lectures and a spirit of cultural exchange. D-Town is more than just a collectively-operated farm site; it seeks to reexamine the history of black land ownership and farming, and write a new future for a legacy tarnished by slavery, sharecropping and other negative interference in the beneficial relationship between people and agriculture.

In the craft area, garden signs with Adinkra symbols, to imbue our gardens with a sense of personal expression and power.

The Harvest Festival is just one way that D-Town reaches out to the community, with delicious and wholesome food, live music, demonstrations, and info sessions on a number of topics pertaining to agriculture, composting, nutritional awareness and better eating habits, food preservation and medicinal use, and bee keeping. They have initiated a formal intern program this season and also have community work days every Sunday, where volunteers can learn how to work the land and keep D-Town running, as well as receive vegetable shares in return for their efforts.

“All About Bees” taught by D-Town’s own Aba Ifeoma.

D-Town has both indoor and outdoor growing facilities, an apiary, and a massive composting operation.

Celebration with a constructive aim and powerful message was the theme of the weekend, with entertainment provided by the Akoben Reggae Band, a traditional African drum and dance circle by Thiosane Performing Arts Co. and Al Nur Dance Co., and conscious hip-hop thrown down by GMAC.

GMAC held forth on topics including self-esteem and positive interaction.

Dr. Monica White was Sunday’s keynote speaker, sharing portions of her doctoral studies, “Black Farmers, Black Freedom: Fighting for the Right to Grow Food.”

Overall, the festival was a great way to celebrate D-Town’s accomplishments, and hear about some upcoming projects, including plans for a collectively owned/operated grocer on Woodward, roughly slated to debut sometime in 2015. But don’t wait until next year to get involved; D-Town is always looking for volunteers with the desire to raise consciousness and promote justice and equality within Detroit’s food system. Asante D-Town!