Mad Farmer Tour Brings National Spotlight to Chicago Block Leaders Reclaiming Soil and Community

Tractor Beverage Company celebrates local heroes with $20K in grants, community meal, and partnership with My Block My Hood My City's Jahmal Cole and Chef Helmy Saadon

DENVER, May 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ --  This Saturday, Tractor Beverage Company will bring its national Mad Farmer Tour to Chicago, honoring two grassroots leaders who have transformed vacant lots into living, growing spaces for nourishment and neighborhood renewal.

The spotlight will shine on Dianne Hodges of South Merrill Community Garden (South Shore) and Patty Carillo of Jardin de las Rosas (Humboldt Park), each receiving a $5,000 community grant as part of a $20,000 investment in South and West Side gardens.

"The oases these block club captains have nurtured don't just interrupt trauma—they replace it with possibility," said Jahmal Cole, Founder & CEO of My Block, My Hood, My City, which activates thousands of volunteers across Chicago each year. "Their gardens create a ripple of hope that becomes a wave of change—one that starts on the block and reaches far beyond it."

The Mad Farmer Tour is Tractor Beverage Company's ongoing commitment to uplifting food system changemakers—those who, like Wendell Berry's Mad Farmer, "walk contrary to their times." Inspired by Berry's iconic poem, the tour is rooted in celebration, storytelling, and support for people reimagining what's possible in their communities. With stops across the country, the tour celebrates farmers, organizers, and everyday changemakers growing connection and courage from the ground up.

"At Tractor Beverage Company, we believe in backing the bold—the Mad Farmers who are out there turning soil into hope," said Alex Ring, Director of Community. "This tour stop is about honoring them, and helping their work flourish."

Saturday's gathering will also feature:

• Community recognition led by Jahmal Cole, Founder & CEO of My Block, My Hood, My City, and Tractor Beverage Company Coop member
• Community meal prepared and presented by local vendors 
• A preview of free monthly cooking classes hosted by Chef Helmy Saadon, Executive Chef at Miru, The St. Regis Chicago
• Distribution of 100 produce vouchers from Urban Growers Collective, redeemable at mobile markets

Event Details:
Saturday, May 10 | 4–6 PM
1130 N. Monticello Ave, Chicago, IL 60651
Also featuring: Jardin de las Rosas, Humboldt Park

The Tractor Coop is a growing network of changemakers improving food systems in their communities. Tractor partners with Coop members like Jahmal Cole to support local impact and scale its mission of closing the Hope Gap—building a more transparent, equitable, and organic food future.

For more on Tractor Beverage Company's Mad Farmer Tour, visit www.drinktractor.com.

ABOUT TRACTOR BEVERAGE COMPANY
Tractor Beverage Company crafts Certified Organic, Non-GMO drinks exclusively for foodservice. With the Organic Impact Tracker, Tractor brings radical transparency to every pour. Through the Mad Farmer Tour, the company sparks conversations around food, farming, and the future. And with the Farmhand Foundation, Tractor helps farmers transition to organic and build healthier soils. Tractor exists to change the way foodservice drinks are made—and to invite people everywhere to fall in love with soil, again. For more information, visit drinktractor.com or follow @drinktractor on Instagram.

ABOUT MY BLOCK, MY HOOD, MY CITY
My Block My Hood My City (M3) is a Chicago nonprofit empowering youth and transforming communities—one block at a time. Founded in 2015 by Jahmal Cole, M3 was born from the belief that exposure creates opportunity. Through programs like the Explorers Program, One Block at a Time, Downtown Day, #SaveStreetball, and Be a Part of the Light, M3 helps young people expand their horizons and brings neighbors together to build a more just, connected, and hopeful city. Learn more at formyblock.org or follow @mbmhmc.

ABOUT CHEF HELMY SAADON
Chef Helmy Saadon is the Executive Chef of Miru at the St. Regis Chicago. Known for his globally inspired, locally grounded approach to cooking, Chef Saadon is committed to sharing the joy and dignity of good food with the broader community, including hosting cooking classes in neighborhoods across the city as part of his work with My Block, My Hood, My City.

Media Contact:
Julianna Cavanaugh
Tractor Beverage Company
394982@email4pr.com | 315-761-7198

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SOURCE Tractor Beverage Company