Known & Grown exists to help farmers within the St. Louis foodshed spread the word about their practices, their products, and the principles that ground their work.

Known & Grown STL is a project of Missouri Coalition for the Environment, on behalf of the St. Louis Food Policy Coalition.

(314) 727-0600
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December 2019

What we choose to eat is no longer seen as neutral. In recent years, our food purchasing and consumption habits have increasingly been characterized as decisions that carry moral ramifications. Consumers are increasingly focused on knowing who produces our food, were they fairly compensated, what land stewardship practices are employed on food-producing operations, is the welfare of livestock valued, and how many “food miles” are between the farm and our plates.

Tyrean Lewis, founder and president of Heru Urban Farming and Garden, welcomed me to his garden on Maffitt Avenue with a warm smile, a firm handshake, and a quick tour of the property. What had once been an empty lot was now a beautifully rich garden. Even with winter fast approaching and the summer crops beginning to die off, bees fly around, neighborhood cats stop in for visits, and new plants begin to sprout up out of the ground.