Big Muddy Urban Farm

A brand identity for a local non-profit that focuses on education and community growth through sustainable food production and a year-long Urban Farmer Residency Program.

vertical and horizontal full-color logo configurations

vertical and horizontal simple-color logo configurations

pictured above: letterhead, front and back envelope, and front and back business card designs

handmade brandbook

In an effort to extend the brand identity a step further, I chose to make the brandbook by hand, using naturalistic textures and materials. The handmade aspect would represent all of the work and care the Big Muddy organization does with their hands on a daily basis.

the big muddy brandmark

The Beet

As a root vegetable, the beet represents Big Muddy’s involvement, growth, & purpose in the community—it planted its roots in the community in 2011 and has continued to thrive and grow, allowing the community to thrive and grow along with it.

The Leaves

Subtly resembling the letters, E, G, and C, the leaves on the beet represent the 3 pillars of Big Muddy’s identity & business model: Education, Growth, and Community.

The Overall Meaning

The brandmark overall represents who Big Muddy is as a whole: a rooted entity in their community that continually provides education and growth to all, helping to create and maintain sustainable practices, hands-on change, and provide necessary “nutrients” of all kinds.

the big muddy logotype

The Type

A combination of both a bold sans serif and fluid script, the type portrays the hands-on and organic aspects of the Big Muddy brand. Both typefaces possess the hand-drawn or handwritten feel and style which goes hand-in-hand with how tactile the brand and its main functions are.

The Colors

The colors are bright and playful with earthy undertones, using a deep purple, almost an eggplant color, as the darkest color in the palette creates emphasis; the pink pulls the texture color from the beet in the brandmark to make it all cohesive.

Acceptance Package

Every year Big Muddy accepts 5 applicants to participate in their Urban Farmer Residency Program. Once the 5 applicants are chosen, they each receive a personalized package that helps them prepare for their upcoming orientation that will launch their year of work and growth.

a wooden “plant stick” with their name on it, to be planted in the ground outside the house at orientation
an important dates calendar that outlines the entire upcoming year
a custom “future urban farmer” sticker
a package of beet seeds that represent their future contribution to the organization and community

Survival Guide Booklet

The acceptance package also includes a survival guide booklet that has information about the farm plots, an area for goals and action items, the courses and curriculum they’ll be covering throughout the year, and finally a few tips and tricks from experts and former graduates.

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Currently working at John McNeil Studio as a Senior Designer. For any freelance design work and/or consulting inquiries, please use my contact form to reach out.

Made with ♥ in Omaha, NE, USA