Down a gravel road in Cincinnati’s Wooden Shoe Hollow, the West Side area once home to greenhouses established by German immigrants, three women farmers joined forces as Mustard Seed Farm. There, Marykate Glenn, Lindsey Melling, and Becky Richey—who have varying backgrounds in farming through the World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms program, Turner Farm, and the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association—focus on what Glenn calls “good food grown well.”

Wilmington’s academic farm is nationally recognized for its opportunities for hands-on learning, and its size enables more intimate connections than larger universities. Thanks to social media outreach to new audiences interested in agriscience, the farm contributes to increasing enrollment at Wilmington.

The food industry isn’t new to Sean Redden, managing partner of Redden Fine Meats. He started working in restaurants at age 15 and spent more than 25 years working as a chef before pivoting into restaurant sales. When the Covid-19 pandemic hit and uncertainty surged everywhere, especially in the restaurant industry, he knew it was time for a new adventure. In the heart of downtown Madeira, a historic train station built in 1860 sat vacant…