Market Gardener Program

We are nourishing communities through growing and sharing food. Since 2017, the two-acres of land along the North Limestone Corridor has served as an urban farm. From the beginnings, this space was dedicated to creating opportunities for growers to produce nutritious food for the city of Lexington without worrying about the cost of land. A donation can directly impact the growth of programs like the market gardener program, which has supported dozens of new market gardeners.

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Applications open in fall | Workshops during fall/winter months | Growing begins in early spring | Sales of produce runs throughout the summer season

Each year our indoor workshops vary. A sample of some of our previous workshops are below:

  • Fruit Production with Dr. John Strang

  • Selling at the Farmer’s Market with Ryan Burnette

  • Selling produce to restaurants and kitchens with Leandra Forman

  • How to upcycle food waste into compost with Christine Smith

  • Business Planning and Marketing with Olivia Vogel and Spencer Guinn of KCARD

  • No-till farming with Jesse Frost and Hannah Crabtree

  • Diversifying Production with chickens with Travis Robinson

  • Seedkeeping with Chris Keeve

  • Caring for the Grower with Monet Proctor and Megan Pillsbury

  • Selling to restaurants, season extension, and more with Zach Selby

Frequently Asked Questions

  • This is a year long process of guiding participants through basic horticultural practices, food safety, and general business planning.

  • Participants meet weekly. This includes 16 hours of hands-on field training, 3 farm visits, 16 hours of indoor workshops, plus a 24-week market season.

  • Participants are paid a small stipend to support their participation in the program. In the spring season, they are given sections of land for their operations to apply what they have learned during the fall/winter months. This support from Seedleaf helps new market gardeners take risks and learn without the fear of financial ruin. Market gardeners keep all proceeds earned from their efforts.

  • Anyone can apply during the fall months with applications open. This program seeks to create a diverse cadre of growers who are able to supply Lexington communities, markets, and restaurants with fresh, local produce.

  • Throughout the program, growers receive instruction, support, and connection to local market outlets for selling their produce. Seedleaf has partnered with Lexington Farmers Market to provide a fully supported market booth for growers to sell their produce on Sunday mornings at the Southland Drive Farmers Market from May to October.

Field Trip Site Hosts of the Market Gardener Program

Colorful logo with the text 'Salad Days farm' in green, brown, and white letters.
Illustration of various vegetables arranged horizontally with text 'DREAMTIME MARKET GARDENS' above.
Logo for Rough Draft Farm featuring a cartoon carrot with green leaves on the left, a blue circle background, and bold black text reading 'ROUGH DRAFT' with smaller text 'FARM' underneath.

… and more!

What Market Gardener Alumni are saying…

  • A promotional flyer for Grow with Mo featuring a woman holding fresh produce outdoors, with text about her gardening and health philosophy, her Instagram handle, and location in Lexington, KY.
  • Information board for Bitter Melon Farms with a photo of a smiling woman holding greens at an outdoor market stall. The board includes a mission statement, social media handle (@bittermelonfarms), and location in Lexington, KY.
  • A social media post for Rows N Beds Farm featuring a quote from Jeanie, a 51-year-old woman, about her passion for growing her own food and her farm in Lexington, Kentucky. The post includes a photo of a woman wearing a Kentucky Wildcats sweatshirt and a red cap, working in a garden with a garden rake. The farm offers fresh vegetables, fruits, herbs, and more, with contact info and location details.
  • A poster for Two Suns Farm featuring a woman smiling and holding a container of cherry tomatoes at what appears to be a farmer's market. The poster includes a brief bio, product details, Instagram handle, and location in Lexington, KY.
  • Informational graphic featuring a circular photo of a person using a mechanical cultivator in a farm field, with text about Megan, a grower passionate about local food systems, offering fresh produce like vegetables, fruits, and herbs, located in Lexington, KY, with Instagram handle @bluehandeddhummingbird.
  • Poster for Elly Bay Farms featuring a smiling woman with afro hair holding a crate of produce, text about growing healthy foods, and farm and Instagram details.
  • A digital poster for Rogue Rooster Farm featuring a woman working in a garden, with text describing the farm's background, products like eggs, vegetables, herbs, and location in Lexington, KY. The poster includes the Instagram handle @rougueroosterfarm.
  • A promotional flyer for Great Eggspectation Chicken Run featuring a woman in a green shirt and cap at an outdoor market stall selling eggs and fresh produce, with text describing Ms. Ella's gardening and volunteering in Lexington, KY.

Seedleaf Market Gardener Program Application

Applications are currently CLOSED.