Big Muddy Urban Farm
Rooted in Gifford Park

Who we are

Big Muddy Urban Farm grew out of a simple idea: that vacant city lots could become a place to learn, gather, and grow good food together. Today the farm spans several lots across the Gifford Park neighborhood of Omaha — a patchwork of garden plots and chicken coops, all within walking distance of one another.

Our mission

Big Muddy Urban Farm is dedicated to making sustainable agriculture education accessible to all.

Our vision: Connected and empowered community members of all ages building an equitable and resilient community food system in Gifford Park and beyond. Draft

The crew

Hearts, hands & minds

Staff

Aaron French

Executive Director

Aaron brings nearly 15 years of leadership in urban agriculture, food systems, and community food security. With a background in both urban and rural settings, he has a passion for bringing large-scale production practices to smaller, urban environments. He holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of Nebraska–Omaha with a concentration in nonprofit management, and previously led Urban Farm Initiatives at City Sprouts for eight years.

Board of Directors

Dennis Magnuson

President

Dan Lindsay

Treasurer

Jeff Cassler

Secretary

Angelyn Wang

Board Member

Chip Nelsen

Board Member

Courtney Wilder

Board Member

What we stand for

Our values

InterdependenceTransparency & AccountabilityEducation as EmpowermentEquity in the HarvestCommunity Resilience
Where we grow

The dirt on Big Muddy

Where we grow

Five garden plots and three chicken coops woven through the Gifford Park neighborhood, all within a half-mile of each other.

Turning risk into asset

Most of our plots once held houses that were torn down, leaving vacant lots. We turn that community risk into a community asset — a safe place for all walks of life to learn about the food we share.

Food access every week

Every Tuesday morning, in partnership with the Gifford Park Neighborhood Association and Whole Foods of Omaha, we host a free food distribution for neighbors facing food insecurity.

A training ground for farmers

From 2017 to 2023, our live-in Aspiring Farmer Residency trained seven cohorts of urban growers. That spirit now lives on in our education programs.

How we got here

Our timeline

  1. ~2014 Big Muddy Urban Farm takes root in Gifford Park; early CSA and community growing begins. Draft
  2. 2017 First Aspiring Farmer Residency cohort moves in.
  3. 2023 Seventh and final residency cohort completes the program.
  4. 2025 Educating Tomorrow's Urban Farmers launches as the farm's flagship education program.
  5. 2026 Aaron French joins as Executive Director.
By the numbers

Fun facts

These big numbers are coming soon — the team is still counting.

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Add a memorable stat — e.g. pounds of produce grown or shared each season. Draft
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Add a number — neighbors served at Tuesday food distribution each week. Draft
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Add a fun detail — how many laying hens live across the three coops? Draft

Come grow with us

Everybody belongs at the farm — neighbor, volunteer, student, partner. Say hello.

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