One local farm grows more than fresh food.

It strengthens communities.

Deep Roots Farm delivers produce to seniors and others who need it most, while teaming up with Gaston County Schools to grow fresh produce at the district's central kitchen.

Carolina Impact's Heather Burgiss and videographer Doug Stacker show us how the effort puts fresh, locally grown food on more tables, including those in school cafeterias.

(gentle music) - [Heather] Tomatoes on the vine, cucumbers ready to pick, carrots still covered in dirt.

This isn't produce on a commercial farm tucked away in the countryside.

It's growing on a small plot of land beside Gaston County Schools, Central Kitchen and Lowell.

- This is about an acre farm, and it's just been an evolving labor of love and passion for getting locally grown produce into our school nutrition programs, so that our kids have access to the healthiest, freshest, most local product that we can get to them.

- [Heather] The district began developing the farm several years ago with North Carolina Cooperative Extension, but growing food on a school bale schedule takes expertise.

That's where farmers Cherie and Wisdom Jzar of Deep Roots CPS Farm come in.

- We really need a farmer who understands how to grow things to come onto the land to grow.

And so then they basically contract it with us.

- [Heather] Deep Roots Farm works with the school nutrition team to plan seasonal crops.

And when the produce is ready, it doesn't have to travel far.

- We want produce to come in our doors and out our doors and onto plates as quickly as possible because we all know that local and fresh is the best.

- [Heather] Inside the central kitchen, the harvest moves quickly from field to food service.

Carrots can be shredded onto salads, cucumbers and tomatoes sliced for lunch trays, and lettuce cleaned and headed back out to schools.

- You just can't duplicate the taste from a produce that you just picked steps away from where you're going to consume it.

- [Heather] Each harvest is divided among different schools throughout the county.

A few hundred pounds of cucumbers might go to about 15 schools one week, with the next harvest headed somewhere else.

- With 56 school cafeterias, where we're serving kids every day, we can't produce enough here yet.

(bright music) - We just did okra and tomatoes, and this is a Japanese variety.

I teach people about tossing it in some olive oil, putting a little salt and pepper, and eating it raw, like a snack.

- [Heather] Cherie and Wisdom started Deep Roots in 2019, growing on small plots around Charlotte.

That eventually led to this seven acre farm in North Charlotte, just minutes away from uptown, where growing food and teaching people how to enjoy it go hand in hand.

- We can talk about broiling it or baking it, or just julienne and do a sear.

You gotta try it.

- Mmm, very good.

- It's not bad.

- I've never done that.

- And you might even taste like a little sweet on it.

- It is sweet, yeah, that is good.

For Cherie and Wisdom, moments like this are part of what farming is all about.

But as demand grows, so does the need for more land.

- Our mission is very deeply tied to community.

We want to be the gap that we see, right?

So, we started the farm with the intention of reaching more residents in Charlotte and then specifically trying our best to reach those who lack access.

- All that money and to land cost, you're not left with much to run an operation.

- [Heather] That need led to a partnership with the Conservation Fund's Carolina Farms Project.

Deep Roots became the first farm in its Charlotte region effort, expanding onto 44 acres in Monroe, land that will remain in agricultural production and can eventually be purchased by the farmers.

- Our program is Farmer First.

We connect with next generation, oftentimes first generation farmers, We also like to lift up black and brown farmers who have not traditionally had access to farmland at an affordable rate.

And so, we're working with this next generation of farmers to understand their needs.

- [Heather] And school cafeterias are just one place that food is going.

At Charlotte's West Recreation Center, Deep Roots brings fresh produce directly to seniors who may face barriers like transportation, mobility or cost.

- It has been a great blessing because of the prices of food going up every week.

So it's been like a godsend to have the fresh fruit and vegetables come here.

- It's a freshness.

To bring it fresh, it's a plus.

- [Heather] And sometimes what comes out of this bag is more than dinner.

It's a favorite recipe, a memory.

- Okra.

- A connection to foods people grew up growing and cooking themselves.

- It makes me feel really good to know that people care enough about seniors to want to make sure that we're eating right.

- When they get these ingredients, all you start hearing is the stories.

- We had strawberries growing out here last year.

- [Heather] Back on the Gaston County School Farm, there are big plans to expand.

The district is preparing for a permanent greenhouse where lettuce can be grown hydroponically, creating a more dependable local crop throughout the school year.

- That's my real dream is to have this fresh stuff every single day, 180 school days a year.

That's my dream and then from then, I want to have it more than once a day.

And then who knows, maybe we'll even have produce on the breakfast tray as well.

(gentle music) - Whenever we started this, first of all, is to be a resource to our community.

So that's the greatest vision.

So, outliving us so our children can continue to steward and work in this space to be of service to the community.

- [Heather] And as the farm grows in reach, it shortens the distance between fresh food and the people who need it most.

For Carolina Impact, I'm Heather Burgiss.