Faith & Clarity - Biblical Perspectives and Biblical Wisdom on News & Cultural Issues Can Bonton Farms show us a better way to restore hope to struggling communities?
On this episode of Faith & Clarity, Dr. Mark Turman and Micah Tomasella sit down with Daron Babcock, Executive Director of Bonton Farms in Dallas. Daron shares his remarkable journey from brokenness to purpose, and how God led him to help rebuild a community long overlooked.
Bonton Farms is more than an urban farm; it’s a place where lives are restored, jobs are created, and hope takes root. Daron explains the seven barriers that often hold people back and how this ministry is addressing them in practical, faith-filled ways.
You’ll hear stories of redemption and resilience, and discover how God’s work in one neighborhood can point the way for communities everywhere.
Topics
- (01:38): Introducing Bonton Farms and Daron Babcock
- (02:56): Daron's journey: From tragedy to transformation
- (08:30): A new beginning in Bonton
- (10:06): Challenges and barriers in Bonton
- (14:10): The birth of Bonton Farms
- (17:32): Bonton Farms' mission and impact
- (26:16): Stories of transformation
- (30:55): The value of work at Bonton Farms
- (33:26): Creating opportunities for flourishing
- (35:15): Darius' journey and miracles
- (44:04): Rules and realities of living in Bonton
- (51:15): The four factors influencing life trajectories
- (54:04): Final thoughts and prayers
Resources
- Ask Us Anything: info@denisonforum.org
- How has Denison Forum impacted your faith?
- Denison Forum | North Texas Giving Day
- Bonton Farms
- D Magazine Feature on Bonton Farms
- Dallas TX - Bonton Farms
- Bonton Farms (@bontonfarms) · Dallas, TX
- Harvesting Hope: Bonton Farms in South Dallas opens a new Wellness Center
- Founder of South Dallas farm working to get Bonton Bill passed to help formerly incarcerated people
About Daron Babcock
Disrupter. Social Justice Advocate. Sower of Seeds. Moved by his personal beliefs, Daron Babcock couldn’t sit idly by as he witnessed his brothers and sisters in South Dallas be ravaged by institutional inequities. In 2012, he left a successful corporate career and moved from his home in North Dallas to serve inner-city residents of Bonton with his wife, Theda. Known for crime, violence, and extreme poverty, Bonton needed an intervention at the macrolevel – something Daron knew was not only necessary, but possible.
Daron is referred to as a “social entrepreneur,” having started multiple successful social ventures; Bonton Honey Company, The Market at Bonton Farms, a Coffee House, a Farmers Market, and CityBuild Housing. Of all his ventures, the most notable, though, is Bonton Farms, one of the largest urban farms in the United States nestled in a once-forgotten neighborhood in South Dallas.
Daron is not only the Founder and CEO, but he is also the perpetual visionary and re-inventor of what’s possible. Bonton Farms is so much more than a farm, it is the catalyst that is helping to level the playing field; creating systemic change necessary so the residents of Bonton and others from marginalized neighborhoods all over the country can achieve the “American Dream” that was promised 200 years ago.
“Our goal is not to simply grow food because we’re in a food desert, but to address WHY Bonton is a food desert. We’re not here to fix broken people, but to be the hands and feet to fix broken systems.”
About Micah Tomasella
Micah Tomasella is the Senior Advancement Officer at Denison Ministries and co-hosts Denison Forum's "Culture Brief" podcast. A graduate of Dallas Baptist University, Micah is married to Emily, and together they are the proud parents of two daughters. With an extensive background in nonprofit work, finance, and real estate, Micah also brings experience from his years in pastoral church ministry.
About Dr. Mark Turman
Mark Turman, DMin, serves as the Executive Director of Denison Forum, where he leads with a passion for equipping believers to navigate today’s complex culture with biblical truth. He is best known as the host of the Faith & Clarity podcast and the lead pastor of the Possum Kingdom Chapel, the in-person congregation of Denison Ministries.
Dr. Turman is the coauthor of Sacred Sexuality: Reclaiming God’s Design and Who Am I? What the Bible Says About Identity and Why it Matters. He earned his undergraduate degree from Howard Payne University in Brownwood, Texas, and received his Master of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth. He later completed his Doctor of Ministry at George W. Truett Theological Seminary at Baylor University in Waco.
Before joining Denison Forum, Mark served as a pastor for 35 years, including 25 years as the founding pastor of Crosspoint Church in McKinney, Texas.
Mark and his high school sweetheart, Judi, married in 1986. They are proud parents of two adult children and grandparents to three grandchildren.
About Denison Forum
Denison Forum exists to thoughtfully engage the issues of the day from a biblical perspective through The Daily Article email newsletter and podcast, the Faith & Clarity podcast, as well as many books and additional resources.