Henry Blair Farm

The Generations Garden Project

EMCC’s youth and seniors can learn about and assist with growing a variety of vegetables and herbs during the growing season at the Henry Blair Farm & Garden.  Located at our intergenerational Leadership & Legacy Campus, the HBFG consists of 16 raised garden beds, a three-season hoophouse, indoor hydroponic system, composting system, and a one-acre urban farm.  Produce goes home with program participants or to our food pantry for distribution.

We are pleased to partner with Soul Food Project and be part of their great work in urban agriculture and youth-led workforce development in Martindale Brightwood in 2024.  They’ll be helping us bring the Henry Blair Farm into full capacity while teaching teens about all aspects of specialty vegetable production in an urban setting.

Got a green thumb?  Want to support better access to fresh, healthy food on Indy’s east side?  Contact Farm Manager “Coach” Mike: mhunt@ednamartincc.org to learn more about opportunities to volunteer.  

 

 

Who was Henry Blair?

Henry Blair was an African-American inventor, farmer, and entrepreneur.  He changed agriculture forever on October 14th, 1834 with the invention of a mechanical corn planter that replaced the work of eight laborers. He was the second African-American to hold a U.S. Patent. Two years later on August 31st, 1836 he obtained another patent for the creation of a mechanical cotton planter.

Henry Blair was born in Glen Ross, Maryland in 1807. Not much is known about his family background or his early childhood. But due to his patent eligibility it’s suspected that Henry was a free man and never enslaved. He managed his own business as an independent commercial Farmer. 

We hope his story inspires a new generation of urban-ag entrepreneurs to explore their ideas at our Farm.