Growing Food, Building Community | Novella Carpenter

What happens when someone sees possibility in a forgotten piece of land?

In this episode of the Harvesting Wisdom Podcast, Dr. Joe Roselle speaks with Novella Carpenter, urban farming pioneer and author of Farm City, about transforming an abandoned Oakland lot into a working urban farm and gathering place for the surrounding community.

Novella shares how growing food can create connection, preserve cultural knowledge, improve access to fresh produce, and help communities become more resilient. She also discusses food insecurity, industrial food systems, school gardens, soil biology, beekeeping, food sovereignty, and the importance of learning from the elders who already carry generations of agricultural knowledge.

The conversation also explores Urban Farming Education’s plans to activate communities throughout Phoenix through accessible gardening classes and hands-on, garden-based education for students.

In this episode:

• How Novella created an urban farm in Oakland
• Why community gardens are about more than food
• The connection between gardening and mental well-being
• How industrial food systems prioritize convenience
• What children should learn about seeds, soil, and nutrition
• Why culturally relevant foods and traditional knowledge matter
• Advice for building a community gardening movement in Phoenix

Learn more about Novella Carpenter and her book, Farm City.

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