Alex Ball is a farmer, entrepreneur, and food accessibility activist at the state and federal levels. He has lived in Washtenaw County for the majority of his life, either in Ypsilanti or other nearby cities along the Huron River. Working as a vegetable farmer since age eighteen, he founded his small business and pop-up urban farm stand, Old City Acres, in 2013. Old City Acres supplies fresh produce to the Ypsilanti, Belleville, Romulus, and Ann Arbor communities. Alex originally felt called to become a farmer during the Great Recession, when he realized how drastically peoples’ access to healthy foods was influenced by changes in the economy and grocery stores closing down. He is passionate about expanding food access, the rights of local farmers, and community supported agriculture. He serves on the Board of the Ypsi Food Co-Op, a community-driven grocery store located in historic Depot Town that provides locals with nutritious and sustainably-sourced whole foods. In his free time, Alex enjoys spending time with his family, movies, and appreciating the outdoors through hiking, camping, and fishing. Another fun fact about Alex is that he is a big foodie and loves to cook and experiment with new recipes – food is his life!
