By Andi Anderson
On the east side of Indianapolis, Broganville Urban Farm is doing more than growing food — it's growing community. Owned by Kadeem Brogan and his family, the farm is introducing children to agriculture through hands-on learning and cultural connection.
Broganville features a variety of animals, including horses, cows, goats, donkeys, alpacas, and ponies. For many children attending the farm’s new summer camp, this is their first experience seeing and interacting with farm animals.
Kadeem Brogan, who didn’t grow up with access to this lifestyle, now wants to show kids that farming is possible — and powerful. "A lot of our kids, even grown up, don't have that opportunity to find freedom," he said.
The farm’s summer nature camp is run in partnership with the nonprofit Café and is designed to expose youth to the natural world, animals, and farming in an urban setting. “We built the program around the offering, exposing them to nature,” said Jamarro Johnson, Deputy Director at Café.
One of the camp’s young participants, 11-year-old Christopher Meriwether, shared his excitement. “This was my first time hearing a cow moo. It was cool, and I met a horse named Honeybun,” he said.
Brogan also believes that visibility is important for children to believe in their potential. “Our kids need to see it, to believe it,” he said. His goal is to inspire the next generation by showing them they can be part of agriculture, too.
The camp highlights farming’s deep roots in Black history, while also addressing the loss of land and opportunity that has impacted Black farmers over the last century.
Enrollment for the next camp session opens June 23. Through Broganville, farming is becoming a tool for education, empowerment, and cultural pride.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-shotbydave
Categories: Indiana, General