Move over grill dads and lawn dads — Michael Bell is the”Plant Daddy of Dallas”! This green-thumbed hero cultivates organic veggies on his half-acre slice of heaven in Texas, a state that ranks fourth in the nation for food insecurity.
Bell’s green-thumb journey started way back when he was a sprout himself, helping his grandma with her veggie patch in Bowie, Texas. Fast forward to today and he’s now the proud owner of Dallas Half Acre Farm, growing everything from lettuce to zucchinis, onions to carrots – earning him the nickname “the salad guy”.
Here’s the kicker – Bell’s farm operates on a mere half-acre, proving you don’t need to be the size of Texas to make a difference. He prides himself on his unique approach to growing crops, where he goes old school with hand work and avoids tilling the soil — it’s like a spa day for the dirt, keeping all those precious nutrients intact. And guess what? His produce tastes better than a burger with extra bacon.
Don’t believe us? Just ask his happy customers.
Beyond his delicious food, it seems that he’s got it all figured out. Bell has become known as a farmer who gives back more than he takes, somewhat of a Robin Hood of farming.
According to him, his farm’s actually helping the environment and the community – not like those pesky squirrels stealing your garden goodies.
“When I started farming, I realized people were complaining about food like it was the weather. That’s when I knew I had to step in and save the day with my healthy produce,” he told Inside Climate News.
“And the more customers I get, the more I’m motivated to keep going.”
Urban farming is all the rage these days, like kale and quinoa. And for good reason — it could be the answer to our food insecurity and the dreaded food desert crisis. According to the USDA, over 13 million Americans are stuck in food deserts.
And if that news wasn’t bad enough, Texas isn’t exactly making strides in the food security department. It’s ranked fourth worst in the nation. Plus, experts say it’s only going to get worse with the planet.
Even The World Bank predicts things could become direr in the years to come.
Now, imagine for a second biting into a juicy tomato that’s so fresh, it’s practically still on the vine. That’s the beauty of urban farming. It’s the farm-to-table dining experience without the long brunch line.
And let’s not forget about the savings. If you grow your own food, you can save some a ton of money.
Bell is on a mission to make his fruits and veggies the top choice for Dallas locals. His goal is simple: he wants to be the reason why Walmart can’t sell produce in his town. Move over, big corporations, the plant daddy of Dallas is taking over.
