Equity and Access in Urban Agriculture: Trey Williams and Hood Honey’s Blueprint for Change
When you stand on the corner of an unassuming Cleveland block and see honeybees buzzing, turnips sprouting, and teenagers learning how to tend soil, you’re witnessing the real roots of urban farming innovation. It’s here that Ronnie “Trey” Williams, founder of Hood Honey, is proving how community-led agriculture, tech tools, and local knowledge can close gaps in access — one vacant lot at a time.
From Family Lot to Community Hub
Hood Honey didn’t start in a lab or a big commercial greenhouse — it started on Trey’s grandmother’s old land.
“I go by Trey because me and my dad share the same name,” he said. “I’ve always had a green thumb. I started with a backyard garden, then jumped into farming. It came pretty naturally.”
Trey is also a science teacher — a fact that shows up in the way he runs his urban farm as both a production space and a place of constant learning.
“Every day as a farmer is a science experiment,” he said. “You try to predict things — but you don’t really know how it’s going to go. That’s part of why it’s so important to connect high-tech innovation with local knowledge.”
Hood Honey sits in a community that’s often overlooked by the larger agtech conversation — yet it’s exactly the kind of neighborhood that needs thoughtful tech solutions.
“Here, nobody’s thinking to put a farm,” Trey said. “But once you do, you’ve got thousands of people living within a mile. The biggest challenge is producing enough food. Tech helps level the playing field.”
For example, he’s exploring bio-monitoring tools that track hive weight and pollen flow, freeing up time and labor.
“If I can automate monitoring my beehives or soil moisture, that’s one less person I have to pay, which means I can keep prices low for my neighbors,” he said. “It’s about bringing the best vegetables right to them — same price as the store but grown right here.”
Yet barriers remain.
“Electricity is a big one,” Trey said. “These lots are just old house lots. Solar setups are expensive. Resources and money are the biggest barrier for small farms trying to step up from backyard gardening to real production.”
Partnerships That Open Doors
Hood Honey is tapping into partnerships — like a new collaboration with Parallax Advanced Research and the Ohio Aerospace Institute— to pilot new tools.
“This is my first time using garden tech outside of taking pictures on my phone to identify plants,” Trey said. “Bringing in real farm tech, that can help not just me, but other small farms in my neighborhood. Within two miles, we’ve got five or six farms, all doing something different. Tech can help us all.”
Why Community-Led is Non-Negotiable
For Trey, equity means putting ownership back in the hands of the people who live there.
“It’s like having a pet — only you know what it needs,” he said. “We’re here every day. We talk to our neighbors. That’s how you make this relevant.”
He imagines a future where small farms become as common as corner stores.
“We don’t need a Whole Foods on every block — those models bend themselves to fit the neighborhood, but not always for the people,” he said. “Instead, we could have a farm on every block. People walk by, pick up fresh food, interact with it daily. It changes the culture.”
Education, Opportunity & Real-World Skills
Hood Honey is more than fresh produce and honeybees. It’s a launchpad for youth and community members to learn, earn, and build their own paths.
“We have volunteers who grow into paid workers when we can,” he said. “Zoe’s been with us three years. Alex, he’s like family — we started his business, Polyculture Farms, together. Now he grows beets here and makes the best beet juice in the city.”
Trey’s approach to workforce development is simple but powerful:
“We’re building new businesses, new entrepreneurs, all based in this community,” Trey said. “That’s equity.”
And when it comes to skills for the next generation? Trey doesn’t hesitate:
“Social skills,” he said. “People need to know how to talk to each other — to stay grounded in reality. Tech should help us grow good food, not take us away from it.”
From Neighborhood Corner to National Model
Trey finds hope in how more resources are finding their way to leaders like him.
“We’re being noticed,” he said. “Organizations are reaching out. It shows the great work we’re doing, and we’re giving those resources right back to the community.”
His advice for cities wanting to replicate Hood Honey’s impact?
“Come physically,” Trey said. “Visit Cleveland, visit Detroit — we’ve been through it. These cities have died and are being reborn through creativity. That’s where you’ll find the real ideas.”
As Cleveland’s urban farmers, technologists, local leaders, and students work to transform the food system, Hood Honey stands as a living example: tech and tradition; science and social connection; and innovation and deep neighborhood roots — they all grow together.
Want to see it in action?
Stay tuned for more about Hood Honey’s upcoming tech pilot with Parallax/OAI. Follow the Urban Farming Project to learn how communities like Trey’s are putting precision ag tools to work — in ways that honor culture, build resilience, and make sure good food is never out of reach.
This work was performed under the following financial assistance award 60NANB24D146 from U.S. Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology.
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About Parallax Advanced Research & the Ohio Aerospace Institute
Parallax Advanced Research is a 501(c)(3) private nonprofit research institute that tackles global challenges through strategic partnerships with government, industry, and academia. It accelerates innovation, addresses critical global issues, and develops groundbreaking ideas with its partners. In 2023, Parallax and the Ohio Aerospace Institute formed a collaborative affiliation to drive innovation and technological advancements across Ohio and the nation. The Ohio Aerospace Institute plays a pivotal role in advancing aerospace through collaboration, education, and workforce development. More information can be found at parallaxresearch.org and oai.org.