Author name: Asawana Farms

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Three students standing in front of a colorful mural at an urban farm with plants and birds illustrated on the wall
News, Urban Farming

Engineering the Future of Small Farms: UMD Students Look to, Design a Geothermal Greenhouse at Asawana Farms

Asawana Farms welcomed a team of mechanical engineering students from University of Maryland, College Park for an in-depth, on-site visit connected to a proposed Capstone design project. What began as a classroom concept is now taking shape as a real-world collaboration aimed at solving one of the most pressing challenges facing small-scale specialty crop farmers: affordable greenhouse heating.

Teens and mentors gathered in a circle outdoors for a group discussion at a community farm and greenhouse facility.
News, Urban Farming, Volunteering

Growing Hope and Skills: Asawana Farms Welcomes Youth from Sandstone Care

At Asawana Farms, every visit is an opportunity to plant more than seeds — we plant knowledge, confidence, and community resilience. Recently, we had the privilege of hosting 21 youths from Sandstone Care, a residential treatment center in Rockville, Maryland, at the Urban Farm Incubator (UFI), where our farm is located.

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News, Urban Farming

Growing Bitter Leaf in Maryland: A Community Success Story at Asawana Farms

At Asawana Farms, one of our core missions is to grow culturally significant crops that nourish both the body and the community. One such crop is bitter leaf — a tropical plant deeply valued in many African cuisines and traditional healing practices. While it thrives naturally in warm climates, growing bitter leaf in Maryland’s changing seasons — especially through winter — is a true test of patience, skill, and community collaboration.

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