Land Acknowledgement
The land in which we farm, and the entire city of Madison, is built upon the unceded territory of the Ho-Chunk First Nation, which they’ve called Teejop since time immemorial. The US government forced the Ho-Chunk nation to cede their land to the state of Wisconsin in the year 1832. For decades, the federal and state governments have attempted to remove Ho-Chunk members from their ancestral land. We also recognize that the institution of UW Madison has been an actor in this process, as UW is a land-grant University. As settlers on their land, we recognize the inherent sovereignty of the Ho-Chunk nation. We hold the responsibility to educate ourselves on the history of colonization and the modern systems of oppression which are inextricably linked to these legacies of colonialism, and we recognize our role as actors in upholding and supporting Ho-Chunk sovereignty and the continued support of the Ho-Chunk nation.
Our New Name
As many of you know, our club, F.H. King, is named after the agricultural scientist Franklin Hiram King. Although King was a key component in advocating against the negative practices of industrialized agriculture, and helped to implement widespread organic farming practices, as a club, we feel distant from F.H. King.
In the agricultural field, FH King is highly regarded, and is often coined “the father of organic agriculture,” because of his work advocating for sustainable farming practices in the late 1800’s. King was a white man, and we know that their presence dominated not only the scientific and agricultural field throughout this time, but were the ones who decided whose knowledge were valued. We know from many Native authors and scientists, like Robin Wall Kimmerer, that Indigenous people have been farming using what we today call “organic agriculture” for millennia before the word ‘organic’ became a thing.
At the core of our club is a strong community. There is so much love and attention that goes into the food grown here, and we strive to create spaces of inclusion. All the food we grow here is all given back to the community for free; locality, community, and good food for all is the center of our mission. Our organization is radical and regenerative, and dependent on us coming together to enjoy the sun, the dirt, and the company of other people.
Our club is for the people, by the people, and we are so excited to announce that our organization will no longer be called F.H. King, and from here on out will be called
The People’s Farm
Michelle Miller Stories
Join us as we celebrate our 54th year as an organization with an insightful discussion featuring Michelle Miller, one of the founders of the farm. Michelle, now a Senior Researcher and Practicing Economic Anthropologist at the Center for Integrated Agriculture Studies at UW Madison, will delve into the fascinating story behind the founding of FH King Farm (now The People’s Farm). She will share insights into the motivations and challenges faced by the founders, including the resistance they encountered towards organic agriculture at that time.
