Our Story
The ATWOOD Model
How It All Began
Before & After (2010-2014)
ATWOOD is an acronym for Agricultural Technologies With Open Outdoor Designs. The ATWOOD Model was created by Dana Jewel Harris as a community garden design for a 4.5 acre underutilized green space located at 779 Atwood Drive, West End Atlanta, GA. From 2010-2014, ATWOOD Community Gardens served 1,500 visitors each year, and became a great education and training tool for:
- Conservation practices
- Climate Smart initiatives
- STEAM Education
- Community outreach
- New business & leadership development
- Beginning ranchers & farmers programs, and
- Vocational & workforce development training
In 2019, she turned her education and training programs into the Community On Demand™ card game and learning management system. Community On Demand’s “business in a box” approach to experiential, project-based learning uses land development as the ultimate outdoor classroom. On one hand, it’s great for strengthening skills in critical thinking, decision-making, team building and creative problem solving. On the other, its a great testing ground for product creation, entrepreneurship, and innovation.
The Original ATWOOD Model, 779 Atwood Street, Atlanta, GA (2010-2014)
ATWOOD 2.0 @ The Smith Family Ranch
On August 27, 2023, The Smith Family Foundation and The NEXT Steps Youth Entrepreneur Program drafted an agreement to develop The ATWOOD Community Garden & Urban Farm Park @ The Smith Family Ranch.
It also has 7 miles of nature trails with designated picnic areas and open green spaces throughout the property! Its fun to bird and deer watch and has 7 bird feeders and 2 deer feeders on property.
This new partnership will offer the same great programming as the original ATWOOD Model. Only this time, ATWOOD 2.0 will use the Community On Demand™ card game and learning management system to develop design competitions and education and training programs for livestock, wildlife habitats, and real conservation initiatives for water, renewable energy, carbon sequestration and soil remediation.
The Smith Family Ranch, 1950 East Atlanta Road, Stockbridge, GA (Photo from 2020)