Who We Are

We don't fix young people. We plant them in the right soil and let them grow.

At In The Field, that's the whole idea behind mud . It's our agriculture program that puts a different tool in a young person's hands. Not a gun. Not a corner. A seed.

Out on the land, hands in the dirt, our young people learn to grow food from soil to sale. They plant it, tend it, harvest it, turn it into a product, and sell it. And somewhere in that work, something shifts  because a young person who learns they can grow what they need with their own two hands learns they're going to be alright. Whether it's a proud harvest or just some lettuce, they're going to be alright.

These young people were never broken. They're diamonds. They just needed the right conditions the pressure, the dirt, and the care to be molded into who they already are.

But a field doesn't run on hope. It runs on ground, seed, tools, meals, safe rides, a kitchen, and the people who show up every day to work beside these young people.

The In The Field gardening initiative began in 2017 with a simple belief: when young people are given a safe place to grow, they flourish just like a well-tended garden.

The vision was inspired by Dawn Folsom, whose passion for using gardens as spaces for healing, education, and community transformed the way we viewed youth development. Dawn and Micah Dennis shared a common dream of creating environments where children and families could feel safe, valued, and connected to something greater than themselves.

Recognizing their shared mission, Dawn generously shared her knowledge of gardening, sustainable growing, and community engagement with Micah. She taught everything she could, believing that knowledge is most powerful when it is passed on. In return, Micah carried those lessons into communities, teaching youth how to grow food, care for the land, and discover purpose through service.

While Dawn continued cultivating gardens and mentoring youth in Indiana, Micah expanded the work by teaching youth throughout Arkansas. Together, their efforts became part of a larger movement that reached far beyond state lines.

Over the years, In The Field established educational and community gardens in schools, correctional facilities, libraries, and other community spaces across Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, and Michigan. Each garden became more than a place to grow fruits and vegetables it became an outdoor classroom where young people learned responsibility, teamwork, leadership, environmental stewardship, healthy living, and hope.

Every seed planted represented an opportunity for growth. Every harvest represented what can happen when a community invests in its youth. The gardens became places where barriers were broken, relationships were built, and individuals from all walks of life worked together toward a common goal.