BUCKET FARM FRIENDS · BFF
A growing space, even without a yard.
Bucket Farm Friends turns finished Brainplate compost, recycled buckets from FEED Bakery, reclaimed coffee bags from JBC Coffee Roasters, and mature crop plants into compact urban farm kits for Madison residents who may not otherwise have space or equipment to grow food.
During its summer 2026 pilot, BFF distributed 55 Urban Farm Kits in six weeks. The pilot was supported by a $1,200 grant and $100 in in-kind contributions.
REAP Food Group acquired the grant on behalf of Urban Triage’s Supporting Black Elders Workgroup. BFF plans to develop small indoor herb grow kits this winter to help fund next summer’s work.
Looking ahead, BFF’s goal is to fund future rounds entirely through recurring monthly gifts from local supporters, creating a steady, community-powered foundation for grow kits and hands-on education.
Each pilot kit paired a recycled bucket with four gallons of high-quality soil, wrapped in a reclaimed burlap coffee bag, and planted with mature collard greens, basil, and marigold.
4 GALLONS OF SOIL · RECYCLED BUCKET · COLLARDS · BASIL · MARIGOLD
Northside farmer Kim Fruin selected the plant combination: marigold and basil help discourage pests while the collards produce food without competing for the same space.
WHAT’S INSIDE A BFF KIT
Living soil, companion plants, and a recycled container.
Grow food wherever the sun reaches.
Bucket Farm Friends teaches children and adults how to build, plant, and care for accessible urban farm kits designed for balconies, porches, and sunny spaces outside apartments.
Through hands-on learning, families gain practical, low-effort growing skills that can help them raise abundant crops at home—year after year, without needing a yard or garden plot.
TROY FARM CONNECTIONSGrowing knowledge already lives here.
Troy Farm supports BFF by providing early-spring greenhouse space. Its team germinates and waters hundreds of crop starts until they are ready to be transplanted into the kits.
Northside farmer Kim Fruin helps select productive, culturally relevant plant combinations. That local growing knowledge connects compost, seed starts, food access, and small-space farming.
Two Ways to Help Bucket Farm Friends Grow.
FOR DONORS
Help build the next round.
Gifts help BFF source recycled containers, soil, plants, and the coordination needed to prepare and place urban farm kits. The 2026 pilot distributed 55 kits in six weeks.
FOR HOUSING & COMMUNITY PARTNERS
Help place a growing kit.
Tell Brainplate about residents, growing space, timing, and on-site support. Distributions depend on the season, current capacity, and partnership fit.
Nothing Wasted. Everything Growing.
Food scraps from neighborhood kitchens.
Finished Brainplate compost.
A recycled bucket.
Four gallons of living soil.
Crops chosen for food, space, and resilience.
Time from volunteers and partners.
Individually, they are simple materials. Together, they become a practical growing space.
FOOD SCRAPS → COMPOST → PLANTER → FOOD → COMMUNITY
Bring the Farm to the People.
However you show up—giving, growing, volunteering, or contributing materials—your support helps put a practical food-growing system into more hands across Madison. Bucket Farm Friends is built by this community, for this community, and every contribution helps prepare the next round of kits.