Will Allen (urban farmer)

Last updated
Will Allen
Will Allen holding fish.jpg
Allen holds a tilapia in his hand at the urban farm Growing Power
Born (1949-02-08) February 8, 1949 (age 75)
Rockville, Maryland, U.S.
Education B.A. Physical Education (1971) [1] [2]
Honorary Ph.D. Agriculture (2012) [3]
Alma mater University of Miami
University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee
Occupation Chief Executive Officer
Known forUrban farming, Professional basketball
Height6 ft 7 in (201 cm) [4]
Children Erika, Jason, Randall, Adrianna
Awards2008 MacArthur Fellowship, Genius Award

Will Allen (born February 8, 1949) is an American urban farmer based in Milwaukee and a retired professional basketball player.

Contents

Early life and education

Will Allen was a high school state champion in basketball at Richard Montgomery High School in Rockville, Maryland [5] Allen played collegiately for the Miami Hurricanes at the University of Miami, where he was on a basketball scholarship. [6] He was the first African-American to play basketball for the University of Miami. [1]

Career

After college Allen was selected by the Baltimore Bullets in the 4th round (60th pick overall) of the 1971 NBA draft. He never played in the NBA, but appeared in seven games with The Floridians of the ABA during the 1971–72 season. [7] He also played professionally in Belgium. [8]

Allen retired from basketball in 1977, when he was 28. [8] Upon retirement, Allen moved to his wife Cynthia's hometown of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. [1]

Urban farming

Will Allen's parents were sharecroppers in South Carolina until they took part in the Great Migration and moved to Rockville, Maryland, where Allen grew up. [5] [9]

Finishing a career in marketing, Allen left a job at Procter & Gamble in 1993 and purchased a derelict plant nursery that was in foreclosure, located on the north side of Milwaukee. [8] Around this time, Allen also purchased a 100-acre farm in Oak Creek, previously owned by his wife's parents. [1] [10]

Allen became the director of Growing Power, an urban farming project in Milwaukee, with a 40-acre farm west of Milwaukee in the town of Merton and an offshoot project in Chicago run by Allen's daughter, Erika. [5] [10] Under increasing debt after two decades of operation, the nonprofit discontinued in 2017. [11] Allen remains active on the site in north Milwaukee through his company Will Allen Farms, LLC. [12]

In 2005, Allen was awarded a Ford Foundation leadership grant on behalf of his urban farming work. [8] [10] In 2008, he was awarded the MacArthur Foundation "Genius Grant" for his work on urban farming and sustainable food production. [10] [13] In 2009, the Kellogg Foundation gave Allen a grant to create jobs in urban agriculture. [8] [14]

Will Allen appears in the documentary film, Fresh . [15] The film refers to Allen as "one of the most influential leaders of the food security and urban farming movement." [16]

Will Allen is the co-author, with Charles Wilson, of the book The Good Food Revolution: Growing Healthy Food, People and Communities, published by Gotham Books, a member of Penguin Group, USA. [17] The book was nominated for a 2013 NAACP Image Award in the category of biography/autobiography. [18] Allen is also the subject of 2014's Farmer Will Allen & the Growing Table, written by Jacqueline Briggs Martin and illustrated by Eric-Shabazz Larkin. [19]

On May 20, 2012, Allen was awarded an honorary Doctor of Agriculture degree from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. He also delivered the commencement address for the graduation ceremony held on that day. [3]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Urban agriculture</span> Farming in cities and urban areas

Urban agriculture refers to various practices of cultivating, processing, and distributing food in urban areas. The term also applies to the area activities of animal husbandry, aquaculture, beekeeping, and horticulture in an urban context. Urban agriculture is distinguished from peri-urban agriculture, which takes place in rural areas at the edge of suburbs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ray Allen</span> American basketball player (born 1975)

Walter Ray Allen Jr. is an American former professional basketball player. He played 18 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a player in 2018. Allen is widely considered to be one of the greatest three-point shooters of all-time, and he held the record for most three-pointers made in a career from 2011 until 2021, when he was surpassed by Stephen Curry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Jefferson</span> American basketball player (born 1980)

Richard Allen Jefferson Jr. is an American former professional basketball player who played small forward. He played for eight teams in his 17-season career in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caron Butler</span> American basketball player (born 1980)

James Caron Butler is an American professional basketball coach and former player who is an assistant coach for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association (NBA). During a 14-year career he played for the Miami Heat, Los Angeles Lakers, Washington Wizards, Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Clippers, Milwaukee Bucks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Detroit Pistons, and Sacramento Kings of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Butler is a two-time NBA All-Star and was the 2002 Big East Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year, while playing for the Connecticut Huskies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Market garden</span> Small consumer-oriented agriculture

A market garden is the relatively small-scale production of fruits, vegetables and flowers as cash crops, frequently sold directly to consumers and restaurants. The diversity of crops grown on a small area of land, typically from under 0.40 hectares to some hectares, or sometimes in greenhouses, distinguishes it from other types of farming. A market garden is sometimes called a truck farm in the USA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Terry Porter</span> American basketball player and coach

Terry Porter is an American former college basketball coach and former player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was most recently the head men's basketball coach at the University of Portland. A native of Wisconsin, he played college basketball at the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point before being drafted 24th by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 1985 NBA draft. In Portland, he played ten seasons with two All-Star Game appearances. Porter spent 17 years in the NBA as a player. Following his retirement as a player in 2002, he began coaching in the league. Porter has twice been a head coach, first with his hometown Milwaukee Bucks and then with the Phoenix Suns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wayne Embry</span> American basketball player and team executive

Wayne Richard Embry is an American former professional basketball player and basketball executive. Embry's 11-year playing career as a center spanned from 1958 to 1969 playing for the Cincinnati Royals, Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks, all of the National Basketball Association (NBA). After his playing career, Embry transitioned to a career as a professional basketball executive, becoming the first African-American general manager and team president in NBA history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vertical farming</span> Practice of growing crops in vertically stacked layers

Vertical farming is the practice of growing crops in vertically stacked layers. It often incorporates controlled-environment agriculture, which aims to optimize plant growth, and soilless farming techniques such as hydroponics, aquaponics, and aeroponics. Some common choices of structures to house vertical farming systems include buildings, shipping containers, underground tunnels, and abandoned mine shafts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Growing Power</span>

Growing Power was an urban agriculture organization headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It ran the last functional farm within the Milwaukee city limits and also maintained an active office in Chicago. Growing Power aimed for sustainable food production, as well as the growth of communities through the creation of local gardens and Community Food Systems. They implemented their mission by providing hands-on training, on-the-ground demonstration, outreach and technical assistance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Devin Harris</span> American basketball player (born 1983)

Devin Lamar Harris is an American sports analyst and former professional basketball player. He played for 15 seasons, mostly with the Dallas Mavericks and New Jersey Nets.

Controlled-environment agriculture (CEA) -- which includes indoor agriculture (IA) and vertical farming—is a technology-based approach toward food production. The aim of CEA is to provide protection from the outdoor elements and maintain optimal growing conditions throughout the development of the crop. Production takes place within an enclosed growing structure such as a greenhouse or plant factory.

Daron Joffe is a U.S. agribusiness and nonprofit executive who is prominent in the organic farming and biodynamic agriculture movements. He is the founder and president of Farmer D and author of award-winning book, Citizen Farmers - The Biodynamic Way to Grow Healthy Food, Build Thriving Communities and Give Back to the Earth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jae Crowder</span> American basketball player (born 1990)

Corey Jae Crowder is an American professional basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Fresh is a 2009 documentary film directed by Ana Sofia Joanes. The film focuses on sustainable agriculture, and depicts farmers, activists and entrepreneurs who are changing America's food system.

Sweet Water Organics, Inc. was an urban farm located in the Bay View neighborhood of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Founded in 2008 by Milwaukee entrepreneurs Josh Fraundorf and James Godsil, Sweet Water's stated mission was to provide fresh, safe food for the community by employing methods of aquaponics and hydroponics that produce a variety of consumables while minimizing its impact on the local environment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jarrett Allen</span> American basketball player (born 1998)

Jarrett Allen is an American professional basketball player for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Texas Longhorns and was selected 22nd overall by the Brooklyn Nets in the 2017 NBA draft. In January 2021, he was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers as part of the four-team blockbuster James Harden trade. In February 2022, Allen was named to his first NBA All-Star Game.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leah Penniman</span> Farmer, educator, and food sovereignty activist

Leah Penniman is a farmer, educator, author, and food sovereignty activist. Penniman is co-founder, co-director and Program Manager of Soul Fire Farm, in Grafton, New York.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Agriculture in Wisconsin</span> Farming in Wisconsin

Agriculture is a significant sector in Wisconsin's economy, producing nearly $104 billion in revenue annually. The significance of the state's agricultural production is exemplified by the depiction of a Holstein cow, an ear of corn, and a wheel of cheese on Wisconsin's state quarter design. In 2017 there were 64,800 farms in the state, operating across 14.3 million acres of land.

Urban Growers Collective is a non-profit organization that builds urban farms, gardens, and provides fresh foods primarily in underprivileged areas in the West and South Side of Chicago. The organization was founded in Chicago, Illinois in 2017 by Erika Allen and Laurell Sims. As of 2019, there are eight urban farms that have been created and are run by Urban Growers Collective.

David Vetter is an organic farmer and leader in the sustainable agriculture movement.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "A will and a way for Allen" . Retrieved 26 August 2016.
  2. ↑ "Will Allen — MacArthur Foundation" . Retrieved 26 August 2016.
  3. 1 2 Stafford, Beth (May 9, 2012). "UW-Milwaukee Spring Commencement 2012" (Press release). University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee . Retrieved June 12, 2012.
  4. ↑ Barbara Miner (September 25, 2008). "An Urban Farmer Is Rewarded for His Dream". The New York Times . p. F6.
  5. 1 2 3 Bybee, Roger. "Growing Power in an Urban Food Desert" . Retrieved 26 August 2016.
  6. ↑ "Making Fresh Food Affordable". O, The Oprah Magazine .
  7. ↑ "Willie Allen" . Retrieved 26 August 2016.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 Farmer, Elizabeth (July 5, 2009). "Street Farmer". The New York Times Magazine . p. MM22. Retrieved June 12, 2012.
  9. ↑ "Milwaukee's Growing Power Founder Pushes Urban Farming".
  10. 1 2 3 4 "Urban farmer's work honored" . Retrieved 26 August 2016.
  11. ↑ "Behind the Rise and Fall of Growing Power". Civil Eats. March 13, 2018. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
  12. ↑ "Will Allen Farms, LLC". Facebook . Retrieved January 29, 2021.
  13. ↑ "25 Receive $500,000 'Genius' Fellowships". The New York Times. 23 September 2008. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
  14. ↑ "Will Allen and Growing Power in the national spotlight again" . Retrieved 26 August 2016.
  15. ↑ "FRESH the movie -". www.freshthemovie.com.
  16. ↑ ""Fresh" celebrates Growing Power on film" . Retrieved 26 August 2016.
  17. ↑ "The Good Food Revolution by Will Allen: 9781592407606 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books".
  18. ↑ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-01-29. Retrieved 2013-01-07.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  19. ↑ "Farmer Will Allen and the Growing Table".
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.