Let’s Talk with Farmers: Dr. Cynthia Hall ’97 Speaks with Moorestown Monthly Meeting and MFS Students

Members of Moorestown Monthly Meeting and MFS students recently joined alumna Dr. Cynthia Hall ’97 via Zoom to discuss how farming can build bridges in communities through healthy food and food education. Dr. Hall and her husband Micaiah are the founders of Free Haven Farms, an educational farm in Lawnside, NJ which was originally founded as Free Haven, NJ. 

Dr. Hall spoke about the farming community in the Southern New Jersey and Philadelphia areas and the struggles that many farmers are facing as a result of the pandemic. Farmers make a great portion of their living through farmers market sales, which came to a halt when quarantine rules were put into place. While the government attempted to help by providing funds per acre, small urban farms with lesser acreage didn’t make up for the sales they lost. 

As a geochemist, Hall spoke about the importance of growing and consuming local foods both for the health of our environment and the physical health of individuals. While growing produce is not something widely done in urban areas, Dr. Hall hopes to educate people of all ages on the process so that younger generations and those struggling to afford healthy food options have the resources to be able to do so. 

Learn more about Free Haven Farms, their products, and their educational programs on their website.