Farmers name: Cheryl Lewis Alston, Joanne Spruill
Acreage: 19 acres owned, 5 acres leased
Location: Goldsboro, NC
Method of Access: Ownership and lease
Year Founded: 2023
Affordability Tools: Purchase and lease
Farm Operation: vegetable
Cheryl Lewis Alston and her daughter Joanne Spruill are charting a remarkable path in agriculture in the vibrant community of Goldsboro, North Carolina. They are laying the foundation for a venture beyond farming to find healing in a history of Black land loss. Mrs. Lewis Alston grew up farming with her family on their land near a state-run mental health hospital. As Mrs. Cheryl recalls, when the hospital expanded in the mid-1900s, the family was pressured to sell their land to the state for pennies on the dollar. Decades later, Cheryl and her daughter Joanne are replanting their family’s farming roots through their purchase of 19 acres of land in honor of their late beloved son and brother, Barney Alston, which will be the site of their future organic farm and product market.
People know Mrs. Cheryl in Goldsboro, NC. A lifelong educator and retired science teacher, she taught lessons on soil health and became intrigued with soil, which contributed to her love of gardening. For the last 15 years, she has worked with libraries, colleges, hospitals, the city of Goldsboro, and Wayne County on community service projects and initiatives. She is the founder and Director of Little Washington Growing Group, a nonprofit organization that provides produce at local farmers’ markets. She was also a founding member of the now defunct Wayne Food Initiative, which supported families impacted by cancer, high blood pressure, and diabetes by building a nutritious food system and increasing access to affordable fresh food for Goldsboro and surrounding areas.
Mrs. Cheryl understands how garden-based learning can help students improve class performance. She was asked to volunteer for the local elementary school’s after-school tutoring program, to support the nearly 175 students who had low test scores. “There was a church that had land, so I worked with the church to host the program. We used math, writing, and reading skills throughout the garden,” explains Mrs. Cheryl. “By the next testing cycle, they all improved their critical thinking and scores.” She describes a garden program at a charter school that was invited to sing their “garden song” for the Kellogg Foundation in San Jose, California. Mrs. Cheryl and her students were also featured in the HBO Documentary,“The Weight of a Nation, Kebreeya’s Salad Days.” These are but a few examples of Mrs. Cheryl’s commitment to her community as a teacher, farmer, and service-leader.
Leased to Purchased Land
At the inception of Little Washington Growing Group in 2009, Mrs. Cheryl leased 15 acres of land from the City of Goldsboro to create a community farm. What was formerly a discarded parcel of land was transformed into a flourishing farm, including crops such as cabbage, strawberries, and green beans. The produce was available to families through weekly food boxes. In 2015, the city sought to reduce the lease to cover only 5 acres, citing a plan to build a fire training facility. This significantly impacted her growing operation and underscored the need for land ownership, leading to her journey to acquire land.
The 19-acre plot is a dream for Mrs. Cheryl and her daughter Joanne. The land is a mix of cleared land with a wooded portion held under a conservation easement. With much of the land within a floodplain, they must first conduct an environmental survey to be eligible for federal and state funding for projects to install a well or add a high tunnel. Despite these challenges, Mrs. Cheryl and Joanne are dedicated to their cause, and still maintain their leased 5 acres to insure offerings for the weekly farmers market.
Mrs. Cheryl and Joanne’s journey embodies a dedication to education, community empowerment, and sustainable farming. Their farm will be a testament to resilience, innovation, and the profound impact of nurturing land and people.
