AfroEcology Series: Huckleberry Hills

August in Alabama

August 23, 2025 our AfroEcology workshop series led us to Huckleberry Hills Farm in Alpine, Alabama. In partnership with SAAFON, Black Sustainability stewarded by Sandra Simone, a Limited Resource Farmer and one of the first in the state to become Certified Organic through the Southeastern African American Farmers Network (SAAFON). Her 100-acre farm, named for the wild huckleberries that grow across the land, stands as a model of resilience, conservation, and innovation.

Sandra has worked closely with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the Talladega Soil and Water Conservation District, and Coosa Valley RC&D to implement practices that strengthen her operation. Through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), she has received support for plasticulture with micro-irrigation, fencing, water troughs, and pipelines. She has also demonstrated the use of solar-powered water systems through an NRCS Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG), pioneering renewable solutions for small farmers in Alabama.

Her conservation work aligns with several NRCS Conservation Practice Standards, including CPS 576 – Livestock Shelter Structure, which provides safe and sustainable shelter solutions for her meat goats. This, combined with micro-irrigation and plasticulture, enables Sandra to steward her land in a way that integrates animal care, soil health, and renewable energy.

Beyond production, Huckleberry Hills Farm serves as a hub for education and mentorship. Sandra hosts farm tours, mentors youth, and even runs a summer program where children cultivate and market their own watermelon crops. This initiative teaches entrepreneurship, teamwork, and agricultural science while instilling pride in land stewardship.

Sandra’s approach demonstrates how NRCS standards, AfroEcological principles, and community vision can merge to create a farm that sustains both people and the environment.

Why These Standards Matter

NRCS practices represents a step toward balancing productivity with stewardship. For Black farmers and growers facing historical land loss and environmental injustice, these tools offer ways to strengthen operations while protecting cultural and ecological heritage. By using practices like CPS 325, 342, 484, 558, and 620, we are not only building high tunnels and sustainable spaces for livestock, we are building resilience!