Fleet Farming

Fleet Farming, an urban agriculture program of the 501c3 nonprofit IDEAS For Us, was founded in 2013 with a mission to empower communities through local food systems. Our innovative model transforms underutilized lawns into productive micro-farms called farmlettes, addressing urban food insecurity while promoting environmental sustainability. Since our pilot program in Orlando, Florida, we have expanded to multiple cities nationwide, converting over 300 lawns into community-driven agricultural resources. Our team leverages grants and volunteer efforts to cycle food into local markets and distribution programs, demonstrating measurable impact through $7,000+ in produce sales within our first year. We engage communities through educational classes, edible landscape installations, and public events like Swarm Rides, where volunteers harvest and distribute produce within three-mile radiuses.

Recognized by National Geographic and NBC Nightly News, our sharecropping model has inspired urban agriculture initiatives in 20+ countries. With a foundation built on grassroots organizing, we maintain transparency through annual reporting and community partnerships, including our 2015 $15,000 in grant funding from 1% For the Planet and the Clif Bar Foundation. Our operations now include plant nurseries, internship programs, and corporate partnerships, all while maintaining our core principle of 'growing food, not lawns.' We continue to refine our bicycle-based farming model, which aligns with municipal ordinances like Orlando's 70% front-yard edible crop allowance, creating replicable frameworks for urban food production.