Iowa Valley RC&D Grow: Johnson County Farm

Founded in 1998, Iowa Valley RC&Ds influence is grounded in community, partnerships, and collaboration as we train and support farmers, build local food infrastructure, generate new innovative markets, improve access of locally grown foods, and model and communicate the positive impact of a future food system that nourishes people and place.

Through its Grow: Johnson County program, Iowa Valley RC&D operates a farmer training and food access program at the Historic Poor Farm. This program cultivates six acres of sustainably grown vegetables, integrating organic farming practices with local ecological systems to demonstrate how agriculture and ecology can coexist harmoniously.

Grow: Johnson County strengthens local food security by partnering with Table to Table to distribute fresh, locally grown produce from the Grow farm to food pantries, school lunch programs, early care centers, and elder care facilities throughout Johnson County. Since its inception, the program has donated over 250,000 pounds of fresh local produce, with an annual harvest exceeding 30,000 pounds.