Black family leaves behind city life to cultivate ‘High Hog’ farm
The Cameron family left the city life and trips to home depot to focus on becoming more connected to the land and environment.
The High Hog Farm was established in 2014 by the Cameron family, who describe themselves as “returning generation farmers, stewarding the land and cultivating community. We grow together to make sure the food and fiber we put on our table, and yours is healthy and fresh.”
The Cameron family left The Home Depot trips and city life behind to focus on connecting with the land and environment in Grayson, Georgia. During an interview with Pattrn x Weather Channel, Keisha Cameron (the shepherdess cultivator, seed keeper, vision caster of the farm) opens up about regenerative farming.
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“Regenerative farming is a holistic management approach to an ecosystem which focuses on sequestering carbon in the soil. And science proves that the best way to sequester carbon is not to exploit your resources, but to actually protect our sheep, our goats,” says Cameron.
“At times our chickens and even our rabbits will move through those pastured areas. The animals’ pattern of moving will actually help build to the soil and become less bacterial in its composition and more fungal-like you would find across a forest floor.“
According to 2017 USDA Census data, the United States had 48,697 producers who identified as Black, either alone or in combination with another race. They accounted for 1.4% of the country’s 3.4 million producers, and they lived and farmed primarily in southeastern and mid-Atlantic states.
Knowing the stats of Black farmers in the U.S., Cameron says she feels a level of responsibility to inform her community that this lifestyle “is a healing journey.”
“It is a blessing but there’s also a certain responsibility that I have to share this with others so that they can be inspired to do their work and to do that work within their community and have some pride and ownership in what they’re doing and to support their own health and wellbeing.”
She adds, “If we want it to make sure that the next generation has the food and the healthy environment to produce that food, we have to start now.“
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