PROJECT

Planting a healthier future

Urban farming in St. Louis is helping create networks that combat rampant food insecurity

From a half-acre farm in Florissant, Missouri, Tyrean “Heru” Lewis works to combat food insecurity in the community he grew up in.

Lewis is just one man in a growing network of markets, vendors and volunteers that are helping the nearly 50,000 St. Louis residents living in "food deserts."

To Lewis, these areas are “Food Apartheids,” rather than the often-used term - food deserts. “I say ‘apartheid’ because a desert is natural,” says Lewis. “This was created on purpose.”

The city experienced 270 homicides on the last year, 70% of which occurred in low-income census tracts without access to a grocery store within a half-mile.

Research, including that from the St. Louis Dept. of Health shows that food insecurity is tied to rates of physical and mental health issues, which, in turn can lead to higher rates of violence in these communities.

Tyrean “Heru” Lewis, center, CEO and Founder of Heru Urban Farms, hops between rows of plants while working on his farm in Florissant, Missouri on June 1, 2021. The half-acre farm provides over 40 different types of fruits and vegetables, mostly sold in Community Supported Agriculture boxes and farmers markets, but also donated to local organizations. Last year, Lewis produced 200,000 pounds of produce. Volunteers from the community help him work the land.

Lewis’ daughter, Jada, snacks on an apple while helping her dad at the farm in Florissant on Monday, May 31, 2021. “I’ve seen the difference in kids when they get a meal and when they don’t get a meal, how they behave and how they focus in school,” said Lewis, former P.E. teacher.

Lewis laughs with customers at the Hyde Park Market in St. Louis on Saturday, May 29, 2021 from behind a pile of mustard greens, an early season harvest and a hit with customers, he explained. The Hyde Park Farmers markets is one of the only weekly markets in north St. Louis. Right now, its just a few vendors and tents, but has plans to continue expansion.

A customer holds some of Lewis’ mustard greens and a pepper plant while chatting with the urban farmer at the Hyde Park Market on May 29, 2021. By providing not only food, but plants, Lewis hopes to give people the ability to grow their own produce.

The Hyde Park Market in St. Louis, Missouri on Saturday, May 29, 2021, where Lewis has begun selling his produce. The market is new this year, and expects to grow through the season as more vendors get involved. Market founder, Fatimah Muhammad, bought property in the Hyde Park neighborhood with the specific intention of bringing access to fresh food into the area, “Is it just for Hyde Park residents,” asks Muhammad, “No, but we needed to start where the need was greatest,” she answers herself.

A closed Shop ’N Save grocery store in North St. Louis remains vacant on Tuesday, June 1, 2021 after its closure in 2018. Many Shop ’N Saves were sold to Schnuck’s Markets, but those that were not remain vacant. These vacant stores were often the only grocery store for several miles, so their closure has left large portions of north St. Louis without nearby access to groceries.

Heru Urban Farming founder, Tyrean Lewis, right, and a volunteer carry bean poles out into the field while working at the farm in Florissant, June 1, 2021.

Lewis lets his son, Tyrean Jr., and daughter, Jada, water pepper plants almost ready for planting at Heru Urban Farms in Florissant, May 31, 2023.

Volunteer Devon Veal removes weeds from between two rows of crops at Heru Urban Farms in Florissant, June 1, 2021. Veal is a first-time volunteer. "Its nice to be able to spend some time outside and help out a friend," he said.

Rows of crops stretch off toward the nearby suburbs at Heru Urban Farms in Florissant, May 31, 2021.

Lewis grins as he chats with employees and volunteers on the farm while weeding vegetables, June 1, 2021.

Friends from Confluence Farms, Eric Stevens, left, and Ryan Whitney, center, help Lewis, right, finish weeding between rows of crops before a lunch break at the farm in Florissant on June 1, 2021. Confluence Farms uses the land next to Lewis' farm, and the farmers often exchange help, tools, and advice

Lewis cradles a growing cucumber plant in his hand while weeding, June 1, 2021.

St. Louis Metro Market customer, Will Smith, grabs a bag to pack with fresh fruit or veggies while shopping on the market bus, parked at the Ferguson Community Empowerment Center on Friday, June 4, 2021. Smith works in the building, so shopping at the market is especially convenient. “Being able to come out here when I need fruit and veggies, and to get affordable prices, that's what I like,” he said. The St. Louis Metro Market brings fresh fruit and vegetables into communities with their grocery-store-on-wheels approach.

Fresh fruit waits for shoppers on the St. Louis Metro Market bus, parked outside the Ferguson Community Empowerment Center, June 4, 2021.

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This story was written by Hurubie Meko as a collaboration between the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and the Kansas City Star.