Black Seeds Urban Farms to Bloom in Uptown Memphis
“I want to teach people how to take care of their roots, literally from the ground up—starting with the nutrients we put in our bodies.”
By Carrie Pinkley
Choose 901
November 11, 2020
Excerpt:
“The time is now, more than ever, to highlight the concept of growing and maintaining food in the urban core. Urban farming is a vital component to the evolution of the communal culture and a sustainable food source in Memphis,” Bobby commissioned.
Bobby and Derravia are very fruitful neighbors, to say the least. While we may have to wait a little while to see their community gardens bloom, they have small version of their larger concept growing in their backyard that Memphians can take advantage of now.
Black Seeds started out around 2015 as an extension of the couple’s gardening hobby that started when they were growing up. The home that the Rich family lives in has actually been in the family for generations, and was passed down to them by Derravia’s grandfather who was known throughout the neighborhood for the garden he grew.
Before Bobby became the master gardener that he’s known as today, he was that local firefighter who showered his co-workers and loved ones with fresh food, herbs, and botanicals that he harvested himself. As his garden grew bigger, so did the community surrounding it—and that’s when Derravia encouraged Bobby to take a leap of faith to turn his hobby of gardening into a business that gives back.
