Alma Backyard Farms

Our mission is to reclaim the lives of those formerly incarcerated, repurpose land into productive urban farms, and reimagine community as a place for people and plants to thrive. Co-founded in 2013 by Erika Cuellar and Richard Garcia on Alma Avenue in East Los Angeles, we started with raised beds and fruit trees in a single backyard. Today we farm over 1.5 acres across Compton, East LA, and San Pedro — growing 125,000+ pounds of organic vegetables each year without pesticides, using companion planting and composting instead. Our top crops include kale, heirloom tomatoes, collard greens, squash, peppers, eggplant, okra, and chayote. Our Compton Farm Stand opens every 1st and 3rd Sunday with fresh organic produce, locally baked bread and pastries, and farm-fresh brunch — chilaquiles and tacos made with ALMA-grown tomatoes and dried peppers. Over 350 formerly incarcerated individuals have received hands-on job training through our Urban Agriculture program. As Richard says, "The solution to a lot of our city's problems are right here, under our feet."