Meet Michelle Graham of The Urban Farm in Stapleton

Today we’d like to introduce you to Michelle Graham.

Michelle, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I wasn’t raised by farmers and I never thought my career path would time and time again bring me back to farming. My journey into agriculture began while I was pursuing an undergraduate degree in Geography and Anthropology at the State University of New York at Geneseo. As I started to direct my own research it revolved around topics such as urban revitalization, food security, soil health, and local food. However, after two years of completing research projects and presentations on food and agriculture, I recognized that I didn’t actually know how to grow…. anything. To rectify this I decided to complete a summer internship on a small, family owned farm in Upstate NY. I was hooked. Following my undergraduate graduation, I kicked-off my career as a farmer at Hilltop Hanover Farm, a non-profit farm and educational center located in downstate NY. Here I completed seed to harvest work, managing our retail and wholesale, directed the farm crew in the fields, as well as taught gardening classes to youth and adults. After 4 years, I decided it was time to leave my dream job and pursue my education further. I completed my Masters in Sustainable Food Systems at the University of Colorado, Boulder. After graduating, I went corporate. I worked for very large company as a 3rd party auditor in the food and beverage industry. What that means is I reviewed and verified ingredients and products with the labels claims such as Non-GMO, Organic, Certified Plant-Based, True Source Honey, ect. It was a decent job and I learned a lot, but after only 8 months I got bored of sitting behind a desk and screen. I saw the job opening for Executive Director of The Urban Farm at Stapleton and I went for it. The world of agriculture and education was calling me back.

Now, a little bit of info about The Urban Farm (TUF). The organization was founded in 1993, with 15 inner-city youth learning about horses on a private farm. In 1995, TUF moved to its present-day location in Northwest Denver, where it is uniquely located on The Stapleton International Airport’s decommissioned weather station. Over the past 17 years, TUF has expanded its programming to include a three-track curriculum, including horticulture, animal husbandry, and equine education. The farm hosts over 100 animals, including horses, goats, poultry, and sheep, as well as an indoor riding arena, a community garden, and a greenhouse. TUF provides a truly unique opportunity for the urban community to engage in agriculture without ever leaving the city.

Our wide range of farm-related programs and activities includes field trips for school-aged youth, service learning opportunities, internships, summer camps, TUF Kids leadership program, a partnership with the Denver Department of Public Safety, an extensive horsemanship program, and a vibrant 4H club. On any day of the week, you can find a school group touring the chicken coop, a family working together to clean a stall, or an intern measuring the pH of the water in the greenhouse.

TUF is located on what was previously an industrial space. We are actively reclaiming what had become under utilized urban land and transforming it into a vibrant ecosystem, fostering healthy, local food which nourishes the same communities it is nurtured by. By establishing urban green space, TUF is tackling monumental issues, including environmental degradation, resource scarcity, public health, food access, and more.

TUF’s long-term vision includes the transformation and utilization of the full 23-acre property into a holistic and sustainable farm, serving as an educational model with which the Denver community can engage. Our master plan integrates rotational grazing, regenerative soil practices, a compost facility, an apiary, and pollinator gardens. TUF will be a center to teach and engage youth and community about the best practices in urban agriculture and local food systems.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
As the relatively new Executive Director (I joined TUF in November 2019), it has been a challenging year. When I first came on, I saw a lot of room for improvement and the Board of Directors hired me with the intention of bringing the non-profit “to the next level.” I worked on creating efficiencies throughout the organization, redesigned the website, improved our volunteer engagement and retention, as well as implemented a new Donor Management System. TUF has a lean team of four full-time staff, that are responsible for 100+ animals and several educational programs to run, we cannot afford inefficiency.

Then Covid-19 hit and most of the work was stalled, canceled, or needed to pivot. During our most popular field trip months March, April, and May, we were forced to close. Summer Camps, which provide income for us to run our educational programming throughout the year, we’re all potentially canceled. Like many, we waited to hear good news about the PPP loan (which we thankfully received). We pivoted and provided online tours and field trips, ran online fundraisers, moved our plant sale to an online store with curbside pick-up– all of this was just enough to keep us afloat and the animals fed. I am looking forward to next year where we can host events and welcome people back to the farm.

To be very honest, it has been a lot of work. I have moments where I think that I could have stayed at my desk job and it would have been much easier to just plug along. But then I lead a tour full of kids or help a community member in the garden, and in those moments I remember my passion and purpose.

Please tell us about The Urban Farm.
The Urban Farm is a community farm and education center that offers events, workshops, after-school programs, camps, field trips, and volunteer opportunities. Where other facilities may focus on gardening, horseback riding, or animals — we host all three in one place. Kids and adults alike can join us out on the farm and learn about horticulture, raising livestock, and horseback riding, all right here within the City of Denver.

Organizational Goal: The Urban Farm strives to cultivate a conservation ethic for a sustainable future by educating individuals and empowering youth to become ecologically literate and caring citizens, through on-farm education.

Organizational Objectives:
• To provide a holistic learning environment where the values of respect and compassion for people, animals, plants, and the environment are developed.
• Foster a community and a space for individuals to feel safe, accepted, and supported while learning aspects of agriscience and character development, in a non-traditional academic setting.
• To encourage young individuals to find their passion and develop their strengths through hands-on learning, curiosity, hard work, and grit.
• To impart skills and education that inspire participants to pursue post-secondary education and gainful employment in the natural sciences, agriculture, or environmental sustainability fields.

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I guess that I was lucky to have stumbled across the Executive Director job listing. As previously mentioned, I was gainfully employed but under stimulated and frustrated sitting behind a desk with a large corporation. So, I decided to see what was out there and simply scrolled through some job boards in my free time. I didn’t apply to any other positions besides TUF’s Executive Director Role.

However, to be honest, I don’t attribute much to luck. I think that I was actively pursuing the next step. As a young female, I worked incredibly hard to build my qualifications and get to where I am.

Pricing:

• Memberships – $40-$80
• General Admission – $5
• Summer Camps – staring at $300

Contact Info:

• Address: 10200 Smith Road
  Denver Colorado, 80233
• Website: www.theurbanfarm.org
• Phone: 303-307-9332
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: theurbanfarm_stapleton
• Facebook: @TUFStapleton

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