Photos taken from the Black Chick Farm Facebook page

Urban farmer Stephanie Finklea remembers developing an interest in gardening at a young age. 

As she grew up, Finklea says she started to see a connection between nutrition, health and agriculture. Along with her passion for gardening, Finklea’s interest in organic living blossomed, as well.   

“Fast forward to years later, and I got more interested in what I was putting in my body as a means to long-term health,” Finklea says. “I started getting interested in more organic foods.”

From there, Finklea says she started to support farm-to-table restaurants and the local food movement, only to realize how expensive it was to buy organic. She then looked into growing her own produce.

Finklea says that dream led to starting her own urban farm. During a period of employment with The Big Garden, she experienced a time of growth that showed her what she ultimately wanted to pursue: entrepreneurship. 

After purchasing her first home in 2019, she laid the foundation for her farm by building permanent raised beds and acquiring a chicken coop. In spring 2022, Finklea officially launched Black Chick Farm with the support of her romantic partner.   

“Having a farm of my own is something that I’ve been wanting to do for some time,” Finklea says. “I had the privilege leveraged from my partner to be able to step away from employment to focus on my entrepreneurship dreams and goals.”

Finklea says her partner also suggested the name for her farm, which is a reference to her Black Maran hen. Along with eggs from her chickens, Finklea produces asparagus, strawberries, rhubarb, wildflowers and herbal medicine. She grows perennials in her front yard and has irrigated annuals in her backyard. 

“That makes it a little bit easier to manage so I don’t have to water things all the time,” Finklea says. “This year, I was also fortunate enough to acquire a residential lot just a few blocks from my home, so I’ll be cultivating in that space.”

In the months since she started her farm, Finlea says her techniques have evolved. As an entrepreneur, she has dabbled in various areas and learned more about what she enjoys doing. For Finklea, the process of growth is most exciting, both in the garden and on a personal level. 

In her farm’s first few months, Finklea says she has received positive feedback. 

“Since stepping out with Black Chick Farm, I’ve found a lot of support within the community, which has been such a blessing,” she says. “I’m proposing a business partnership where someone’s got some space and some land, and they’re offering to let me grow on it. We’re going to work on developing that, so I’m more than doubling the land that I grow on and that I’ll be stewarding.”

Over the long-term, Finklea says she would love to venture into the wholesale market. She also wants to pursue greenhouse production and flower farming. 

“I just want to grow stuff,” Finklea says. “I really love working with the land, learning more about those systems and the soil, and finding ways to give back to an Earth that has always brought me abundance.”

To learn more about Black Chick Farm, visit the Facebook page.