The connection between food, health, and community has never been clearer — and now it’s growing stronger than ever at the University of Maryland Capital Region Medical Center (UM CRMC). In partnership with Asawana Farms, the hospital has taken the Food is Medicine concept from theory to thriving practice, literally planting the seeds for healthier lives across Prince George’s County.
A Vision Rooted in Soil and Solidarity
What started as a vision to link nutrition education with hands-on growing has blossomed into a living example of wellness in action. With guidance and support from Asawana Farms, UM CRMC has begun growing its own kale, collard greens, and Swiss chard right on hospital grounds for the winter season.
These leafy greens aren’t just nutritious—they’re symbolic of a larger movement toward healing through food. When patients visit the hospital, they can now see these vegetables growing for themselves — a powerful reminder that food doesn’t come from a box or a can, but from the earth. Each plant represents care, growth, and the possibility of a healthier future.
Teaching Patients to Grow Health and Hope
A central part of this partnership is education. Patients enrolled in the hospital’s Food is Medicine program are not only receiving fresh, organic produce but are also being taught how to grow their own vegetables at home.
Whether it’s in a backyard garden, on a balcony, or in simple grow bags and containers, the goal is to make growing food accessible to everyone. By learning these skills, participants are reclaiming ownership of their health and diet—one seed at a time.
This hands-on approach helps patients understand that wellness isn’t only about prescriptions or procedures; it’s about lifestyle, nourishment, and connection to the environment.
Building a Model for Sustainable Health
The partnership between Asawana Farms and UM CRMC is about more than growing vegetables — it’s about cultivating a sustainable model of healthcare that integrates food access, education, and empowerment.
By producing and sharing organic greens within the hospital, the program demonstrates how healthcare institutions can take an active role in addressing nutrition insecurity and chronic disease prevention. It also shows that hospitals can serve as living classrooms for community health and resilience.
The Bigger Picture: Health Begins Where We Are
This collaboration is a tangible expression of the belief that good health begins with good food — and good food starts right where we are. By reconnecting people to the land, to their food, and to the knowledge of how to grow it, Asawana Farms and UM CRMC are nurturing both bodies and communities.
The hope is that this initiative inspires other hospitals, clinics, and organizations to plant their own seeds of change — transforming healthcare into a truly holistic experience that nourishes from the ground up. We are here to help.