Kendall Rae Johnson is not your typical 9-year-old. She has been known as Georgia’s youngest certified farmer, and she is reshaping the way children and their communities see agriculture.
Kendall is becoming a national name after appearances on Good Morning America, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and other programs.
She grows produce, she raises bees and sells the honey, and she’s an author of such books as “I’m Growing Places.”
In her YouTube series, “Farm to Kitchen with Kendall,” she demonstrates how she transforms fresh-grown ingredients into homemade treats like strawberry popsicles, blueberry smoothies, and hand-crafted pickles.
“I want people to know the importance of farming,” Kendall said. “Some people just don’t see it. I think it’s important to know where food comes from.”
In addition to farming at her South Fulton home, Kendall is teaching farming. Through a partnership with the City of Atlanta’s Department of City Planning, Kendall helps to lead-free tours of local farms, and she hosts workshops to show families how to access fresh produce. The initiative also includes classroom sessions where participants learn the basics of farming, including how to farm for personal use or for selling produce, her mother, Ursula Johnson, said.
“She wants to teach other kids that agriculture is more than just farming. It’s food, clothing, perfumes [and more],” Johnson said.
Since the age of 3, Kendall has enjoyed being in the kitchen as her father would cook for the family. She became inspired by farming through her great grandmother who was particular about how the family cooked collard greens, Johnson said.
Johnson’s grandmother would always urge the family to keep the collard greens’ base and stems instead of throwing them all away.
“She would say, “Don’t throw that base away. You can replant it, and it will grow.”” Johnson recalled.
After Kendall’s great-grandmother passed away, she remembered that wisdom and planted the base one day and grew her first batch of collard greens.
Today, she grows a variety of produce.
“My favorite thing to grow is carrots,” Kendall said. “They are very fresh. They’re just delicious. Some carrots are kind of like candy. They’re very sweet, and they’re good for you.”
She has a goal of growing dragonfruit, a vibrant fruit she describes as “looking like a dragon egg.”
Kendall shares her knowledge with peers through a 4-H club chartered by the University of Georgia. At Deerwood Academy, her club meets twice a month, where students recently planted lettuce and discussed topics like food systems and pests.
The young farmer turns 10 in May.
Learn more about her activities by visiting her website A Grow Kulture.
Well-written post! I will be returning to this lovely blog more often this year! I appreciate your insightful post.