In this episode of 'Going Public', we speak with Maurice Theriot, director of South Side Farms.
He was one of six recipients of the 2026 Missouri Spark Prizes from the Missouri Foundation for Health for work addressing food insecurity and health equity.
South Side Farms is a seven-acre urban farm in Cape Girardeau working to increase access to fresh, nutritious food in a federally designated food desert.
The farm grew from eight intermittent farm stands in 2024 to 24 consecutive weeks of access in 2025. Theriot says the farm's 2026 goal is to provide food for 30-plus weeks to south Cape Girardeau residents.
Food production increased from more than 6,000 pounds in 2024 to 10,000 pounds in 2025; the 2026 goal of 15,000 pounds had already been met during the growing season.
A greenhouse and two high tunnels support season extension, now allowing them to plant and grow produce beginning in early January.
Maurice described the 'Spark Prize' as validation and a way to build partnerships that could support further expansion.
The current farm stand operates Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. during the growing season. Longer hours, an additional farm stand day, and a possible grocery store were discussed as future possibilities in the area.
Maurice came to agriculture after a career in finance and accounting, starting with a single raised garden bed in his Texas backyard.
After moving to Missouri, he worked with Lincoln University’s Small Farm Outreach Program and traveled widely helping farmers and communities grow their own food. At South Side Farms, he has helped significantly expand both the amount of locally grown produce reaching the community and the number of weeks residents can access it.
He says food access is about more than addressing an immediate need. Maurice wants people to rediscover the knowledge and confidence to grow food for themselves, strengthening both individual self-reliance and local food systems. His vision is a Missouri where fresh, healthy food is grown closer to the communities it nourishes.
