What started as a backyard garden rooted in family tradition has blossomed into a small farm business providing fresh produce year-round to rural Louisiana communities.

Derek Moore, owner of Moorehill Farm and Garden in the southern Webster Parish community of Heflin, has always had farming in his blood. His grandfather was a farmer, and Moore spent his childhood helping in the fields. Though he drifted away from gardening during his teenage years, he returned to it as an adult alongside his wife and children.

“I used to give the produce away to family and friends,” Moore said. “People kept telling me, ‘Man, you need to start selling this stuff — it’s delicious.’”

Encouraged by that feedback, Moore and his wife launched Moorehill Farm and Garden in November 2024, which has since grown into a licensed Limited Liability Company (LLC) known for its organically grown vegetables. The farm’s name honors his family’s history on the land, first settled by his great-great-grandfather after the Civil War. Much of the extended Moore family still lives nearby, making Moorehill a true family operation.

On just under two acres, the family cultivates a wide variety of produce, including potatoes, squash, onions, eggplant, tomatoes, leafy greens, and peppers. The farm uses no-till, organic-practicing methods, avoiding chemical fertilizers and herbicides in favor of compost made onsite. Moore grows in a block system, with each block consisting of six 50-foot beds, allowing him to stagger planting and maintain consistent harvests.

Moorehill’s produce is sold each Saturday at the Minden Farmers Market, where Moore also serves as market director. Additional sales come through Facebook and partnerships with organizations like Shreveport Green, which purchases his produce and resells it in underserved inner-city neighborhoods and to local hospitals preparing meals for cancer patients.

“What you get from us, you’re not going to find in a grocery store,” Moore said.

To expand his reach and impact, Moore enrolled in the farmer training program through the Louisiana Small-Scale Agriculture Coalition (LSSAC). Through this year-long cohort, he connected with Bahia Nightengale, who later referred him to Communities Unlimited (CU) for funding.

CU’s Area Director of Lending, Debra Williams, worked closely with Moore to provide a small-dollar “kickstart” loan through CU’s Small Farm Lending Program — a specialized financing initiative created to help small-scale farmers access the capital they need to grow. The program supports purchases like equipment, high tunnels, and infrastructure upgrades, often when traditional financing isn’t accessible.

Moore is using the funds to build shade structures over his garden blocks — essential for growing delicate crops like leafy greens and tomatoes during Louisiana’s intense summers. He also plans to add quick hoops for winter growing to extend his production year-round.

The loan from CU, supported by LSSAC, came at a critical time. Moore had faced personal credit challenges after taking on high-interest financing early in his business journey. Determined to turn things around, he entered a repayment plan and is actively rebuilding his credit.

“Farming is a hard business,” Moore said. “But we’re so thankful for the support. Ms. Debra took a chance on me. That’s why I started with a small loan to prove myself. She said we could do more in six months, and that kind of trust and opportunity means everything. I’d recommend CU to anyone.”

Moore is now looking ahead. His father, who raises cattle on the surrounding land, is nearing retirement — opening the door for Moorehill to expand across the family’s full nine acres. His vision includes dedicating one garden block to each crop and becoming a teaching farm for others interested in no-till, sustainable farming.

He’s already gaining recognition. Moorehill Farm was recently selected as the featured farm for the next LSSAC cohort, and Moore received a $10,000 grant from the coalition to support infrastructure improvements. He continues to work full-time at O’Neal Gas & Propane but hopes to transition into full-time farming in the future.

As he scales up production and outreach, Moore is proving that a small farm — rooted in tradition and guided by sustainable practices — can feed a growing number of families while planting seeds of opportunity for others in rural Louisiana.

Moore credits CU’s Small Farm Lending Program for helping make that vision a reality.