Nestled at 5217 Airline Drive in Bossier City, Raccoon Bend Farms is a vibrant urban farm and garden market driven by a deep commitment to clean, sustainable food and community well‑being. Founded by Lee and Alicia DeCote, Raccoon Bend Farms isn’t just about growing food; it’s about nurturing health and education for the Northwest Louisiana community.

Alicia DeCote left her full-time job last summer in youth ministry to work at the farm full-time. As she works on her doctorate in exercise science and health leadership, Raccoon Bend Farms serves as a platform for her to help people live healthier lives. Raccoon Bend Farms is open to the public on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2–6 p.m., and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. The farm offers organic produce and fruit, farm‑to‑table meals, fresh breads, U-pick flowers, and more!

Alicia DeCote and Lee DeCote began growing vegetables and flowers in 2020, post-COVID, on their 5 acres of land.

“We were stuck here mowing grass and my husband came to me and said, ‘Why don’t we start a garden?’ and I was all about it,” said Alicia.

Having lived in Arkansas and Tennessee and having access to good, clean food, once Alicia moved back to Louisiana, she found herself disappointed that she was not able to find clean, honest food.

“We live in the culinary capital of the world. So we decided to start growing clean food. If we grow enough to share with our neighbors, wonderful, that’s the goal!”

As Alicia began cooking with what she grew in the garden, she started their preorder service for meals to go. She partners with other local farmers who grow organic produce.

“Everything that we cook, we only use local ingredients. Locally sourced. We have used Moral Dairy, My Happy Farms, and Smith Family Farms. It’s great to collaborate, and it’s great to know that what you are getting is quality. We are heirloom and only grow heirloom seeds, so we know where they come from. They have not been genetically modified or hybridized. We stay true to the source,” she said.

Since Raccoon Bend Farms only grows heirloom seeds, they get their seeds from Urban Farmer Seeds, Seed Savers Exchange, and Baker Creek in Missouri, which offers seeds from all over the world! They also save many of their seeds and replant them.

“All of our okra this year is reseeded; we did not buy the first seed. We also have some rare items like the Pink Okinawa Okra. It tastes just like green okra and is a superfood. The seed comes from Japan,” she said.

You can also find rows of flower beds at Raccoon Bend Farms. At the farm, you can handpick and create your own bouquet with flowers priced at 4 for $1.

“Our flowers started as a way to bring in beneficial pollinators to our vegetables, and the flowers are so pretty that we wanted to share them with the public.”

Over the years, as the farm has continued to grow, it has proudly partnered with local bakers, florists, and apothecaries who incorporate its fresh, organic ingredients into their handcrafted products. Sourdough Co. owner Amy, who is a frequent feature at the farm, will partner with the farm in a new way soon. This fall is set to bring forth new excitement at the farm with more pop-ups, vendors, fall fests, and fitness.

“We are planning to start offering fitness classes on the farm. Amy, who does our sourdough, is also a Pilates instructor, and she will offer mat Pilates on our farm. We are looking to have more fitness-type activities this fall,” Alicia said.

When you choose to shop at Raccoon Bend Farms, its quality meets a passion for wellness with hands-on teaching about clean eating. Their philosophy is, “Bringing health, knowing where your foods come from, and educating consumers.”

“We do not want to take away from anyone, we want to add value to what they are eating and help people to understand that where their food comes from does matter,” she said.

A fun fact about Alicia DeCote is that she’s not only a certified Sports Nutrition Coach and Performance Enhancement Specialist, but she’s also traveled to Italy to attend the prestigious World Wellness Summit. Her passion for clean living led her to create a four-part documentary series titled Chasing Clean Food, which is available to stream on Amazon Prime and Tubi. Raccoon Bend Farm beautifully ties into Alicia’s mission of helping people prevent illness and injury through nutrition.

Address: 5217 Airline Drive in Bossier City
Website: https://www.raccoonbendfarms.com/