Miles Mason didn’t grow up gardening. But he will always remember the first thing he grew — green beans. He planted the seeds and watered them regularly. He was excited about the results.
“When I seen that one sprout, I was like, oh, I got a green thumb,” Mason said.
Mason, a local musician, wants more people to know what it’s like to grow their own food. It’s why he co-created a new urban farm on the Far Eastside.
If you go
Grand opening
🗓️ 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 16
📍 865 N. German Church Road
Live performances, health screenings, wellness vendors, crafts, yoga and a gardening class.
🕠 Regular hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday.
Located near 10th Street and German Church Road, the 4.2-acre farm is a collaboration between wellness brand Bodi Buzz and Rooted Legacy, a new community group focused on nutrition education.
The group is growing a wide variety of vegetables, fruits and herbs to improve community access to organic, locally grown food.
More than 50% of Marion County households are food insecure, according to a 2025 report from Indy Hunger Network. Of those households, 80% rely on food assistance programs.
“A lot of people are living in food deserts, and a lot of people are facing food insecurities,” said David Johnson, co-owner of Bodi Buzz. “We don’t have to live like that.”
Last year, Bodi Buzz operated a smaller farm on the east side and grew about 5,000 pounds of food. But with the larger space, Johnson hopes to double the amount of food grown this year. He’s excited about the impact an urban farm can bring to the Far Eastside.
“There’s not too many of us around, especially farmers of color in the city,” Johnson said. “And especially with this much space. And that’s why we’re here, just to spark up some change in the community.”
Volunteers help maintain the farm. On an afternoon in May, volunteer Shandia Rhodes was building a greenhouse on the farm. He said farms like this one are needed in the city.
“We just need more local farming and more farming in the community, versus buying processed food and having it sit in the warehouse or however it comes to us,” Rhodes said.
Farm owners and volunteers work together at an urban farm run by Bodi Buzz and Rooted Legacy on May 11, 2026, on the Far Eastside of Indianapolis. Credit: Ted Somerville for Mirror Indy
Rhodes would like to see more urban farms pop up in other Indianapolis neighborhoods.
Mason and Johnson hope the farm becomes a third space for eastsiders. There’s a small walking path around the herb garden where visitors can connect with nature. The co-owners also have plans for cooking demonstrations, gardening classes and other community events.
“It’s a beautiful thing to just have the space where people can say, hey, this is for people of all ages,” Mason said. “So why not take advantage of the space and the opportunities people will have here to learn how to grow your own food?”
If you go
The farm’s grand opening is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 16. The event will feature live performances, health screenings and wellness vendors. There will also be activities, including crafts, yoga and a gardening class.
The farm is located at 865 N. German Church Road. It will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday.
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Mirror Indy reporter Darian Benson covers east Indianapolis. Contact her at 317-397-7262 or darian.benson@mirrorindy.org. Follow her on X @HelloImDarian or on Bluesky @darianbenson.bsky.social.
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