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Woman brings merchants, growers together with Black Farmer's Market

Woman brings merchants, growers together with Black Farmer's Market
Posted at 9:45 PM, Jun 09, 2021
and last updated 2021-06-10 12:21:31-04

RICHMOND, Va. -- An idea became a reality during the pandemic and now it's serving different communities around Richmond.

Navi Johnson is the founder of the Black Farmer's Market, an idea that came to fruition last year.

"I started it because I saw a surplus of African Americans getting back into growing in their own yards and becoming self-sufficient," Johnson said.

It was a tradition passed on from her grandmother to her mother and then onto her.

"So it was kind of the natural thing for us to get back in the yard and grow a garden," Johnson said.

She noticed that many others were doing the same thing.

"So I created the farmer's market, not for just farmers and growers but also merchant vendors and it grew very quickly," Johnson said.

She started the market in the Randolph area at The Way of the Lord Fellowship Church. Soon, she was looking for a bigger location.

Those interested can now find the Black Farmer's Market at the 17th Street Market and at U-Turn Performance Center.

While last year the market was held once or twice a month, it is now held four times a month.

For the market this Saturday, Vaccine Here's mobile unit in conjunction with the Virginia Department of Health will provide free vaccinations at U-Turn. All vaccines will be available.

You can register at this website or just stop by on Saturday.