Farmer Matt Jones with some of the harvest from Little Portion Farm.

The Baltimore Business Journal has named Matt Jones, farm manager at Little Portion Farm, as one of Greater Baltimore’s 2025 40 Under 40. Little Portion Farm, a ministry of the Franciscan Friars Conventual of Our Lady of the Angels Province, donates 100% of its produce to soup kitchen and food pantry partners serving individuals in need. Under Matt’s direction and leadership, Little Portion Farm has donated more than 100,000 pounds of fresh produce to serve people in Greater Baltimore living with food insecurity since the first seeds were planted on the farm six years ago.

When Matt first joined the friars in 2019, the three-acre plot that is now Little Portion Farm, was an empty field, with soil greatly devoid of nutrients after years of overproduction by prior tenant farmer activities, which included chemical use and industrial farming methods. The mission of this uniquely Franciscan ministry was twofold – restore the health of the land and grow food for the poor.

Matt was selected as a 2025 40 Under 40 Honoree for his success in developing a now thriving, biodiverse farm that provides food for those facing food insecurity in the region, and for his efforts in creating a gathering space for community service, reflection, and education. Little Portion Farm hosts thousands of visitors and volunteers every year. As the farm continues to grow – both in how much land is cultivated and how many people come to the farm to serve – Little Portion Farm will be able to provide increased amounts of produce to their partners serving the vulnerable in Greater Baltimore.