Dallas – Just a few blocks from the Trinity River in South Dallas, you’ll find a plot of land that seems out of place in the middle of a massive city. Filled with farm animals and flourishing crops, this small plot of land has changed the lives of the people that live here and their entire neighborhood.
Davidson Sutherland is a former pastor who found another way to care for his flock. He helps lead the team at Bonton Farms. In a part of town that’s hardly had a helping hand, the historical African American neighborhood of Bonton has never experienced high society. But in 2014 Bonton Farms put their plow in the ground, and it’s become a place where people can change their lives by putting their hands in the dirt.
Davidson says that people are more themselves when they have their hands in the ground growing things. Taking care of things and taking care of each other is the most human thing we can do, and what better way to do that than farming alongside people who need a bit of help?
Cydnei Drake helps facilitate change in the folks who call Bonton home. The farm provides apprenticeships for people who need to find greener pastures, but it’s not all about cultivating the crops. There’s also a farmers market, coffee shop, and restaurant associated with Bonton. Cydnei believes that there’s healing in the soil, and that the farm allows people to take out their frustrations gently through hard work.
The goal is to provide people with a few basic needs and a helping hand to get them to a place where they can be contributing members of society. The apprentices get on the job training on the farm or at the restaurant, coffee shop and market. There’s also a team of social workers that provide various wellness resources.
Davidson has created a little independent oasis out here in Dallas, but he doesn’t want to create codependency. He says that he wants to help get folks back into the world with all the tools they need to live a self-sufficient life.
Jonnika Williams manages the restaurant at Bonton Farms, which has fantastic fried chicken and some of the freshest food you can find. She integrates whatever they have on the farm into the menu, and the restaurant provides the neighborhood with a place where people can come together and sit down for a healthy, delicious meal made with the freshest ingredients possible. The on-site coffee shop was just an added touch to provide more for the community and open up more positions to help people out.
All of these components make a one of a kind place that’s making a big difference in Big D. Their mission is boosting the economy and the neighborhood, and providing opportunities for people simply by existing and growing as a community.