04/13/2026
As a Black woman who’s passionate about urban homesteading, agriculture, travel, and education, everything Natasha Nicholes does is an act of defying expectations. She is a certified master gardener & urban farmer who started We Sow We Grow a non-profit urban farm & educational center on Chicago’s South Side — the West Pullman neighborhood to be precise.
Natasha and her husband Shomari have dedicated themselves to adding a much-needed voice, to conversations about issues in each of those industries. They know empowering their community to know more about food production pays off. They also have been raising incredible humans who see community involvement as a core element and each of them are looking for their paths and the ways they want to contribute.
Natasha not only farms but is highly visible as a leader, speaker, and writer. She is probably happiest when she’s learning new things or helping others learn new things that make a difference in the world.
When we started designing Grounded in Ag years ago, we asked Natasha to join our board of advisors. She has served as a constant source of support and you see it in our courses too. She provides the urban farming perspective in several lessons. Urban farmers are frequently the points that drive people’s entry into being curious about farming overall. Having her perspective in Grounded in Ag shows the similarities and some differences between these typically smaller acreage operations and the larger ones that carry the lion’s share of food production in the U.S.
Meanwhile, in many places, it is women working small acreages that provides critical food for for families and communities. These women often pour themselves into others by sharing skills and more with others in need. We celebrate Natasha and the many Black women makinig a difference as we observe International Black Women’s History Month.
