Most people know The Walls Project for the murals it has painted across Baton Rouge. Fewer know about its farm. Baton Roots Community Farm, tucked into BREC's Howell Park at 5509 Winbourne Ave., blends fresh food access, job training, socializing and art in one place, and teaches sustainable growing practices on a working urban farm.

Boots on the Farm, Nov. 21

For one night, the working farm turns into a dining room for Boots on the Farm, a fundraising dinner from 4 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 21. The evening opens with a cocktail hour at 4 p.m., followed by a five-course farm-to-table dinner with wine at 5 p.m. Live music comes from Justin Rendell, with a late-night set by DJ Love Yourself. Bar and wine are included, parking is free and guests must be 21 or older. Every ticket supports Baton Roots' urban agriculture, workforce training and food-access programs. Tickets are on Eventbrite.

Get your hands dirty

You don't need to buy a ticket to help. Baton Roots hosts Friday volunteer mornings from 8 to 10 a.m., with upcoming dates Oct. 23 and 30 and Nov. 6, 13 and 20, to plant, harvest and grow food for the community. On Saturday, Nov. 7, from 10 a.m. to noon, Sow Good Saturday pairs a gardening workshop with an all-levels yoga class and a farm-fresh cooking demo, and participants take home produce. Bring water, sturdy shoes and comfortable clothes.

To find the farm, enter Howell Park on Winbourne Avenue and park near the basketball court.

A paid path into green jobs

Baton Roots is also recruiting its 2027 Agroforestry Apprenticeship cohort, now entering its third year. Apprentices earn $20 an hour for 28 to 31 hours a week, learning horticulture, arboriculture and green infrastructure at the farm and at East Baton Rouge Parish Housing Authority sites, with arboriculture support from Baton Rouge Green. The program starts in January, and applicants must be 18 or older and able to commit to the full year. Applications are due Oct. 30.

Photo courtesy of The Walls Project.