On the Ground: Farm Visits Strengthen Roots of Innovation in Urban Agriculture
By Ron Stubblefield, Senior Program Manager, Parallax Advanced Research and Ohio Aerospace Institute
Innovation doesn’t just happen in labs or boardrooms—it takes root in fields, greenhouses, and even once-vacant lots across our cities. Over the past several weeks, I had the opportunity to visit several urban farms across Northeast Ohio alongside my colleague Anthony Gillespie, Director of Strategic and Technology-Based Partnerships and Technology Transfer Office. These visits are part of our ongoing work through the Precision Urban Agriculture Initiative, which aims to empower local growers through advanced technology, economic development strategies, and sustainable infrastructure support.
These on-the-ground experiences not only deepen our partnerships but also remind us of the resilience and ingenuity embedded in urban agriculture.
Hood Honey – Mt. Pleasant, Cleveland
At Hood Honey, founded by community leader Ronnie “Trey” Williams, bees are more than pollinators—they’re a symbol of renewal. Located in Cleveland’s Mt. Pleasant neighborhood, this emerging farm and apiary blends food justice with entrepreneurial grit. With plans for a year-round greenhouse underway, Hood Honey is tackling food insecurity one hive and harvest at a time.
Anthony and I were particularly inspired by their commitment to sustainable growth. As part of the Urban Ag initiative, we are working to provide technical support on irrigation and beehive system infrastructure—critical components for scaling operations. For this reason, we are gifting Hood Honey with a BroodMinder Citizen Science Bee Monitoring and Management Kit as well as a Growlink Precision Irrigation Blossom Bundle. Hood Honey is a testament to what’s possible when community ownership meets ecological innovation.
Food Strong – Coit Road & E. 65th Farm Sites
Food Strong’s work is rooted—literally—in the belief that access to fresh food is foundational to community strength. We toured two of their urban farm sites: one at the historic Coit Road Farmers Market and another at E. 65th and Superior, a space once defined by vacancy and now transformed into a learning landscape.
Both locations serve as hands-on classrooms, where youth and families explore gardening, nutrition, and environmental stewardship. Through the Precision Urban Agriculture Initiative, we’re supporting irrigation planning and educational programming, ensuring these green spaces continue to grow both crops and community capacity. For this reason, we are providing Food Strong with two Growlink Precision Irrigation Blossom Bundles and exploring potential partnerships with Oak Ridge National Laboratory to provide additional materials to accelerate the build out of an indoor farming facility.
Rid-All Partnership – Kinsman Neighborhood, Cleveland
Perhaps one of the most dynamic models of urban farming we’ve encountered is the Rid-All Green Partnership. Situated in the Kinsman neighborhood, Rid-All has become a national leader in regenerative agriculture, using aquaponics, composting, and environmental restoration to revitalize degraded land.
During our visit, we explored collaborative opportunities to integrate UAV (drone) technology for operational monitoring and environmental tracking. These tools can provide real-time insights on crop health, soil conditions, and water usage—key data for sustainable scaling. Rid-All’s philosophy of “regenerating land and lives” echoes the core of our own mission: to blend innovation, equity, and local impact. As a potential next step, we are looking to partner with Oak Ridge National Laboratory to bring in UAV systems to assist Rid-All operations.
A Vision Moving Forward
These visits underscore a critical truth: innovation in food systems is happening at the neighborhood level. It’s powerful to see farmers using advanced tools to build food security in their own backyards. Whether through beekeeping, education, or aquaponics, each of these organizations is cultivating more than food—they’re cultivating resilience.
We’re proud to support their work and look forward to deepening these partnerships as we continue to grow the Precision Urban Agriculture Initiative from the ground up.
This work was performed under the following financial assistance award 60NANB24D146 from U.S. Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology.
*** 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. With offices in Ohio and Virginia, Parallax aims to deliver new solutions and speed them to market. In 2023, Parallax and the Ohio Aerospace Institute formed a collaborative affiliation to drive innovation and technological advancements in Ohio and for the nation. The Ohio Aerospace Institute plays a pivotal role in advancing the aerospace industry in Ohio and the nation by fostering collaborations between universities, aerospace industries, and government organizations, and managing aerospace research, education, and workforce development projects. More information on both organizations can be found at Parallax and OAI websites.