MEQUON, Wis. — On a two-acre farm in Mequon, Martice Scales grows vegetables with his wife Amy Kroll.

Scales and Kroll said they are passionate about providing healthy, affordable food to the community through their farm, Full Circle Healing.

“You can cook kale the same way as collards,” said Scales as he showed a piece of Kale he picked from the ground. “It’s in the same family and it tastes pretty much the same.”

With three children at their side, the couple said they try to instill the values of healthy eating and sustainability.

Their produce sells in local farmers’ markets, but they said they have bigger ambitions. They said they are hoping to secure grants and partnerships to reach those who need fresh food the most.

“At the heart of our mission is really food access and nourishing people—mind, spirit and community,” said Kroll.

Their work aims to provide more than just food. It’s also about creating a space where young farmers, particularly those of color, can see themselves represented in an industry where they have been historically underrepresented.

“The first Black farmer I met, I was an adult,” Scales reflected. “To be able to meet so many youth that look like me, I know that they didn’t have to wait so long to see themselves represented.”

For Scales, this work is personal. Hesaid he’s determined to offer young people the opportunities he missed, ensuring that the next generation of farming is more inclusive and diverse.

“For me, that’s huge,” he said. “It’s an opportunity that I missed and now I’m trying to get in the way of that, continuing into the next generation.”