Ken Sparks is an organic farmer, gardening consultant and educator, and an advocate for sustainable practices. His company, The Farmer Ken (which is also his moniker), enables people and communities to successfully grow food in their own backyard.
A pandemic project, his farm in Southern California is a veritable food forest filled with over 70 trees bearing fruits and is also home to veggie and herb plots, ponds and chicken coops. As a certified organic farmer, his produce is a staple at farmers markets in and around Los Angeles, and he even has his own Etsy shop.
Ken’s family has been farming for generations. His green thumb was passed on to him by his grandmother and great-grandmother in Ohio, where he started gardening at the ripe young age of 5. His love for all things green continued to grow and prosper through his college days, even while he pursued his degree in African-American Studies with a minor in Natural Resources. Throughout undergrad and grad school, he helped create community gardens, especially in under-resourced communities across Illinois and L.A.
Farmer Ken continues using that experience today and is currently raising funds to make his newly relocated farm a sustainable source for high quality, organically grown produce, so he can provide fresh food alternatives to counter fast food restaurants and convenience stores.
