On May 21, 2026, it was an honor to welcome Maryland Secretary of Agriculture Kevin Atticks to the Asawana Farms stand during the University of Maryland Capital Region Medical Center Food is Medicine Open House.
For Asawana Farms, this visit was a meaningful moment. It gave us the opportunity to share our work in Food as Medicine, specialty crop production, and community growing education with one of Maryland’s key agricultural leaders. Secretary Atticks came by to learn more about our 5-gallon moringa and bitter leaf grow bag program, a practical initiative designed to help families across Maryland grow nutrient-rich, culturally relevant vegetables at home.
At the heart of this program is a simple but powerful idea: everyone can grow food. You do not need acres of land. You do not need a tractor. You do not need a large garden. With a 5-gallon grow bag, families can grow moringa and bitter leaf on porches, patios, balconies, small yards, and community spaces. This makes healthy food production more accessible to households that may not have farmland but still want to take control of what they eat and how they care for their health.
One of the highlights of Secretary Atticks’ visit was his willingness to taste fresh bitter leaf directly from our display. Bitter leaf is a culturally important vegetable in many African communities, including Cameroon, where it is eaten as food and also respected for its traditional medicinal value. Its bold bitter taste often surprises people the first time they try it, but that taste also opens the door to an important conversation about culture, nutrition, and wellness.
During the visit, we shared how bitter leaf is traditionally valued for supporting general wellness and is often discussed in relation to blood sugar support. We also talked about moringa, another important crop in our Food as Medicine work. Moringa is widely known as a nutrient-dense plant rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and plant-based protein. For many communities, moringa is not just a vegetable; it is a household wellness plant.
Secretary Atticks’ interest in growing both bitter leaf and moringa was encouraging. His interest reinforced the message that these crops should not remain limited to specialty farms or immigrant communities. They can be part of Maryland’s broader agricultural future. They can be grown by families, seniors, churches, schools, hospitals, community gardens, and anyone interested in growing healthy food at home.
Asawana Farms promised to support Secretary Atticks’ interest by providing him with moringa and bitter leaf seedlings in grow bags when our seedlings are ready for sale to the general public. We believe this will help demonstrate to Marylanders that growing Food as Medicine can begin with something as simple as one grow bag, one seedling, and one commitment to care for a plant.
This year, however, the weather has been very unpredictable. Like many farmers across Maryland, we have faced delays and challenges in starting the growing season. Temperature swings, rain, and changing weather patterns have affected planting schedules and seedling readiness. Even with these challenges, we remain hopeful. Farming always requires patience, faith, and resilience, and we believe the season will improve.
The 5-gallon grow bag program is especially important because it meets people where they are. It is designed for everyday families who may want to grow food but do not know where to begin. Through this model, Asawana Farms teaches people how to plant, water, care for, harvest, and use crops like moringa and bitter leaf. Our goal is not only to sell seedlings, but to build confidence and knowledge in the community.
At Asawana Farms, we see this work as part of a larger movement. Food as Medicine should include hospitals, farms, doctors, patients, schools, churches, and families. It should include fresh produce, but it should also include education. When people learn how to grow food for themselves, they gain more than vegetables. They gain knowledge, confidence, self-reliance, and a deeper connection to their health.
We are grateful that Secretary Kevin Atticks took the time to learn about our crops, taste bitter leaf, and engage with our vision for expanding access to culturally relevant Food as Medicine crops in Maryland. His visit reminded us that small farms have an important role to play in public health, food access, cultural preservation, and agricultural innovation.
Asawana Farms will continue doing our best to grow fresh, nutrient-rich, and culturally relevant foods while teaching the community how to grow food for health. Our vision is to see more Maryland families growing moringa, bitter leaf, and other healthy vegetables at home — one grow bag, one household, and one community at a time.
Take control of your health. Grow your own Food as Medicine.