We were lucky to catch up with Charles DeBarber recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Charles thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. One deeply underappreciated facet of entrepreneurship is the kind of crazy stuff we have to deal with as business owners. Sometimes it’s crazy positive sometimes it’s crazy negative, but crazy experiences unite entrepreneurs regardless of industry. Can you share a crazy story with our readers?

My name is Charles DeBarber and I am the Animal Husbandry Coordinator at Filbert Street Garden in Baltimore City! I am primarily a beekeeper, but care for the many animals at our garden; chickens, ducks, turkeys, goats, and a temperamental goose.

We have our share of crazy moments at our agricultural non-profit.

The one that comes to mind was the kidnapping of our baby goat Ed when he was 8 weeks old. Ed was the first baby goat born at Filbert Street Garden and was born on the last day of winter of 2020 right before the Pandemic began. He was a local celebrity and loved by the dozens of people that game to the gate to feed him and his mother Cheese every day.

In May 2020, three local youths broke into the garden by cutting a hole in the fence and taking Ed as his mother cried and wailed. Our security cameras picked up the heartbreaking sound of Cheese’s cries as they took her baby.

The story was immediately picked up by the news that morning and went national. The Baltimore Brew had the best article title – “Ed, the Filbert Street Garden’s goat, was “kid”napped last night”.

https://baltimorebrew.com/2020/05/19/ed-the-filbert-street-gardens-goat-was-kid-napped-last-night/

It was a moment the garden was able to remember the many friends we have made in the community we serve. Volunteers were driving through the alleys, people throughout the city were crossposting our call to find Ed, and the Baltimore Police Department was cruising Southern Baltimore and putting the word out.

Ed was returned that night unharmed.

https://whdh.com/news/baby-goat-stolen-from-baltimore-garden-reunited-with-owners/
https://www.baltimorebrew.com/2020/05/20/amid-public-outrage-eds-captors-anonymously-bring-him-back/

The event was an unexpected calamity at the garden. However, it told us volumes about the support we have and the importance of what we do. People gave testimonials about how the garden helped them and we raised over $2400.00 which allowed us to install cameras, security lights, and improve the habitat with better storage and play furniture.

We learned more about how far our social media reached.

We build stronger relationships with the local community and law enforcement.

Sometimes crises can bring us together. I’m glad ours managed to do so.

Charles , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am Charles DeBarber, the Animal Husbandry Coordinator at Filbert Street Garden in Curtis Bay! I am primarily a beekeeper, but care for our many animals. Our only cash crop is honey and bee products, but we donate over 3700 eggs and 2-3 tons of food each year to the community.

I am proud of the works we do at the garden and of the impact we make on the lives of our residents by giving them a green oasis in an economically challenged part of Baltimore City.

Alright – let’s talk about marketing or sales – do you have any fun stories about a risk you’ve taken or something else exciting on the sales and marketing side?

Our main cash crop at Filbert Street Garden is honey and bee products (e.g. beeswax, honey soap, etc.) We donate all other food we produce, but honey is our method of keeping out 501(c)3 sustainable.

We have an excellent partnership with Farm Alliance in Baltimore City where our honey is sold as their stand at Waverly Market. However, we have too much product for a single market. In 2021, we began doing out honey stand at Cross Street Market in Federal Hill.

We struggled with sales at first, but began bringing one of our baby goats from the garden along and sales took off. The goats stop foot traffic at our stand and the goats are eager for pets and treats. They gave become such a fun experience at market that we are highly requested!

I like to joke that we once were a honey stand that had goats. The truth is we’re a goat stand that happens to sell honey. :)

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

In our case? Cute animals.

Filbert Street Garden has always been a green oasis. However, we introduced animals about 7 years ago. The first chickens, ducks, bees, and goats all were a lightening rod for attention at the garden. They make excellent stars for social media and brought countless people to our gates.

Our animals (of which 2/3rds are rescues) and their journeys brought attention to food deserts, lack of data sovereignty, poverty, and environmental justice.

By updating our social media regularly and sharing our journey at the garden, we’ve made our patrons and community invested in that story.

Contact Info:

• Website: filbertstreetgarden.org
• Instagram: @filbertstreetgarden
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FilbertStreetGarden
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb3KCrPVgWlRhwg4LJ31O_A