Empowering the Community with Education to Restore Balance to Life with Regenerative Urban Farming and the Ma’at Urban Farm Network™

View the project final report

Commodities

• Agronomic: Jerusalem artichoke
• Vegetables: Amaranth
• Additional Plants: native plants
• Miscellaneous: mushrooms

Practices

• Crop Production: drought tolerance, intercropping, no-till, season extension, varieties and cultivars
• Education and Training: demonstration, display, farmer to farmer, mentoring, networking, on-farm/ranch research, workshop, youth education
• Natural Resources/Environment: carbon sequestration
• Pest Management: allelopathy, mulches - general
• Production Systems: holistic management
• Soil Management: composting, organic matter, soil analysis, soil quality/health
• Sustainable Communities: analysis of personal/family life, community development, community planning, community services, employment opportunities, ethnic differences/cultural and demographic change, food hubs, quality of life, social networks, urban agriculture

MUA & I addresses critical challenges in the realms of food security, sustainable agriculture, and community well-being. Our primary focus is on regenerative agriculture, a holistic approach that's furthering sustainability by actively restoring ecosystems and prioritizing soil health, biodiversity, and community engagement.

The core issue we're addressing is the conventional, centralized food production model that often leads to environmental degradation, loss of biodiversity, and limited community access to fresh, nutritious food. Additionally, the lack of inclusivity in traditional farming practices excludes disabled individuals and veterans from participating in meaningful agricultural activities.

Our mission involves research and education to revolutionize the current farming paradigm. We're introducing Urban Regenerative Farming, employing innovative methods that require fewer resources, and less labor, and yet yield high-quality, nutrient-dense crops. Through educational programs, workshops, and partnerships with schools, we aim to empower individuals, especially the next generation, the knowledge and skills to implement regenerative agriculture.

Furthermore, our commitment extends to community well-being, incorporating wheelchair-accessible gardens, providing opportunities for those with disabilities, and fostering a sense of environmental stewardship. MUA & I is pioneering a sustainable, regenerative future that not only ensures food security but also nurtures thriving communities and ecosystems.

YEAR 2 Final Report:

Project Summary

1) Problem Addressed and Solution Pursued

This project addressed the limitations of centralized, industrial food systems in urban communities, including food access inequities, nutritional degradation after harvest, environmental degradation, and barriers to participation for families, youth, and people with disabilities. Centralized food systems often rely on long supply chains, high external inputs, and profit-driven incentives that disconnect communities from fresh, nutrient-dense food and from the knowledge required to grow it.

The solution pursued was the development and demonstration of the Ma’at Urban Farm Network™ (MUFN™)—a decentralized, community-based regenerative food production model. MUFN™ connected multiple small urban growing sites into a coordinated production and education network using Regenerative Urban Farming (RUF™) practices, including Hugelkultur High Rise Gardens™ (HHRGs™), container systems, GroTubes™, intercropping, and low-input perennial crops. The project emphasized food grown and consumed within the community to reduce post-harvest nutrient loss, increase accessibility, and restore food sovereignty at the household and neighborhood level.

2) Research Approach, Educational Approach, and Farmer Learning Outcomes

Research Approach

Applied, on-farm research was conducted across multiple MUFN™ sites in Indianapolis, Indiana, and later extended through partner sites in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and community partners in Georgia. Research focused on the viability of regenerative urban systems under real-world conditions rather than controlled environments. Primary research components included:

• Performance of Jerusalem artichokes (SunfRoots™) as a low-input, perennial staple crop in HHRGs™, containers, GroTubes™, and in-ground systems

• Evaluation of decentralized production across small plots functioning collectively as a larger farm

• A Year 2 trial integrating wine cap and oyster mushrooms into outdoor RUF systems, intentionally testing low-tech, outdoor viability without climate control

The mushroom integration trial resulted in documented failure, which was formally recorded as a research outcome. Inconsistent moisture, raised-bed drying, wet–dry cycling, and sudden rainfall events led to stalled colonization and contamination. This outcome provided clear, transferable lessons regarding the environmental stability required for fungal integration in regenerative systems.

Educational Approach

Education was delivered through multiple formats to reach diverse audiences:

• Community Workshops (Belmont Beach Project, Indianapolis): Free, in-person workshops combining lecture, demonstrations, and hands-on activities.

• Online Regenerative Urban Farming Course: Live and recorded Zoom sessions with a structured Google Classroom platform, serving participants across Indiana, Georgia, and Oklahoma.

• School-Based Education (RUFIT™ Program): A two-year elective program implemented at Allegiant Prep Academy (K–5), serving approximately 140–165 students, with differentiated instruction, pre- and post-assessments, outdoor garden work, and indoor curriculum.

• Demonstration Sites: Multiple MUFN™ gardens used as living classrooms, including wheelchair-accessible HHRGs™.

Learning outcomes included increased understanding of soil ecology, water ecology, plant systems, regenerative practices, decentralized food production, and the role of perennial crops in food security. Pre- and post-assessments at Allegiant Prep Academy showed consistent score improvements, with many students demonstrating significant gains despite prior learning or behavioral challenges.

3) Research Conclusions

Key conclusions from the project include:

• Decentralized urban food production is viable when small plots are managed collectively using regenerative practices.

• Jerusalem artichokes (SunfRoots™) proved highly adaptable, productive, and resilient, yielding over 147 pounds from less than 3 pounds of planting material, with minimal inputs and no irrigation or fertilizers.

• HHRGs™ and container systems effectively reduced labor, eliminated tillage, improved soil health, and enabled food production on hardscapes and limited urban land.

• Outdoor mushroom integration failed under low-control conditions, demonstrating that fungi require stable moisture and protected microclimates; mushrooms cannot be reliably integrated into raised or container systems without environmental controls.

• Educational programs were effective, but program intensity exceeded the capacity of some participants, leading to the decision to restructure the curriculum into a college-level course with a separate introductory pathway.

4) Farmer Adoption Actions Resulting from Education

As a result of the project:

• 24 farmers/growers adopted or changed practices, including container-based growing, HHRG construction, perennial crop adoption, and decentralized production planning.

• Multiple participants began growing Jerusalem artichokes in home and community settings using fabric pots and raised systems.

• Community partners committed land for continued expansion, including a ¼-acre planting in Fort Wayne, Indiana, using approximately 400 pounds of tubers to establish a long-term regional planting for future propagation and sharing.

• Educational partners in Georgia and Oklahoma adopted the online RUF™ curriculum for community learning.

• Findings informed ongoing work through the Purdue University Ag Innovation Collaborative (AIC) program, supporting further refinement of decentralized regenerative production models.

Optional Beneficiary Outcome Story

A retired Indianapolis resident with type 2 diabetes attended a Mini-RUF™ workshop and adopted Jerusalem artichokes after learning about their low-input growth and high inulin content. He implemented container-based production at his home and partnered with MUFN™ to expand plantings in 2025, demonstrating how regenerative practices can improve health outcomes while increasing food self-reliance in urban settings.

MUA & I's visionary initiative, Urban Regenerative Farming, is a holistic solution to critical challenges in black urban communities, focusing on reshaping the conventional food production model into a decentralized and community-centric approach with the Ma'at Urban Farm Network. This groundbreaking project seeks to replace the outdated centralized food production model with a dynamic, sustainable, and inclusive system, fostering abundant food sources in black communities.

The trial component of this initiative involves the establishment of research plots in diverse urban settings, strategically employing Regenerative Urban Farming practices. Central to this is the implementation of Hugelkultur High Rise Gardens (HHRG), an innovative technique that optimizes growing space, cultivates fresh and healthy soil, and eliminates traditional practices like tilling and weeding. These plots will integrate food forest guilds, high-density spacing, and intercropping, mirroring natural ecosystems. The aim is to create an urban farming system that demands less labor while promoting biodiversity, soil health, and long-term sustainability.

A key element of this sustainable approach is the incorporation of mushrooms into the urban farming system. The symbiotic relationship between mushrooms and crops will be explored, enhancing soil health, nutrient cycling, and overall system resilience. This innovative integration aims to create a diverse range of nutrient-dense, high-calorie food sources, ensuring food security and resilience within the urban environment.

For the demonstration and education aspect of the project, MUA & I will develop an online Regenerative Urban Farming Course. This course will utilize cutting-edge teaching methods, multimedia elements, and real-world case studies to convey sustainable agriculture practices. To complement the online component, an outdoor classroom will be constructed at the feature garden, providing a hands-on training environment for participants where they will have access to come and work in the garden applying the learned techniques. This dynamic learning space will facilitate practical experiences, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of sustainable farming practices.

The objectives of this solution are not only to conduct research on the viability and productivity of Regenerative Urban Farming practices but also to disseminate this knowledge widely. By creating an online course, conducting workshops, and collaborating with schools, Ma'at 9 aims to inspire and educate the next generation of farmers. Furthermore, the project seeks to create work-study materials, present findings at the Black LOAM conference, and develop a replicable model that can be adopted across urban communities, fostering a regenerative and sustainable future.

Objectives:

1. Establish research plots in urban settings to evaluate the effectiveness of Regenerative Urban Farming practices, including HHRG and integrated food forest guilds.

2. Cultivate staple crops, vegetables, and mushrooms in the research plots to assess the viability and productivity of this integrated approach.

3. Develop and implement an online Regenerative Urban Farming Course, using innovative teaching methods and real-world case studies.

4. Construct an outdoor classroom with a wheelchair-accessible garden at the feature garden for hands-on training, reinforcing sustainable practices.

5. Explore symbiotic relationships between mushrooms and crops within the urban farming system for enhanced sustainability and food production.

6. Promote the decentralized community-based farming model through community outreach, workshops, and collaboration with schools.

7. Create work-study materials from research, present findings at the Black LOAM conference, and develop a replicable model for widespread adoption in urban communities.

   YEAR 2 Final Report

   The objectives of this project were to research, demonstrate, and teach Regenerative Urban Farming (RUF™) practices through the development of the Ma’at Urban Farm Network™ (MUFN™), a decentralized, community-based food production model designed to improve food security, soil health, and community self-sufficiency in urban environments.

   Specifically, the project objectives were to:

   1. Establish and manage decentralized urban research and demonstration plots across multiple sites in Indianapolis, Indiana, using regenerative practices such as Hugelkultur High Rise Gardens™ (HHRGs™), container systems, GroTubes™, intercropping, and no-till methods.

   2. Evaluate the viability of low-input, regenerative cropping systems in small urban spaces by cultivating staple and specialty crops, including Jerusalem artichokes (SunfRoots™), amaranth, sweet potatoes, native plants, and mushrooms.

   3. Test the integration of mushrooms into outdoor regenerative systems as a soil-building and nutrient-cycling layer, documenting both successful and unsuccessful outcomes to inform future design decisions.

   4. Develop and deliver educational programming that translated research findings into practical knowledge through:

      • In-person community workshops,

      • A structured online Regenerative Urban Farming™ course,

      • Hands-on demonstration sites, and

      • A two-year school-based RUFIT™ program at Allegiant Prep Academy.

   5. Increase farmer, youth, and community knowledge of regenerative practices, decentralized food systems, and perennial crop production through workshops, coursework, and applied learning.

   6. Demonstrate the scalability and transferability of the MUFN™ model by expanding education and research activities beyond Indianapolis, including:

      • Establishing a ¼-acre Jerusalem artichoke planting in Fort Wayne, Indiana, to introduce and naturalize the crop regionally,

      • Sharing curriculum and methods with partner communities in Georgia and Oklahoma, and

      • Aligning applied research with the Purdue University Ag Innovation Collaborative (AIC) program.

   7. Refine program structure based on participant feedback and learning outcomes, including restructuring the Regenerative Urban Farming™ course into a college-level curriculum while developing a separate introductory pathway for new growers.

   Through these objectives, the project addressed the challenges of centralized food systems by demonstrating a decentralized, regenerative alternative that improves food access, builds soil health, supports education, and empowers communities to participate directly in food production.