Going Green in the UST Garden

Many people around campus have begun to notice the small farm that is in full bloom on the corner of Sul Ross and Yupon, across from Guinan Residence Halls. The farm is coordinated through the non-profit organization, Plant it Forward Farms, and Roy Nlemba is the primary farmer. 

All of the farmers who participate in the Plant it Forward program are economically disadvantaged refugees who had to flee their home country. The current Plant it Forward farmers either owned or worked on a farm in their homeland, and many have grown up on a farm their entire lives. The organization’s urban farms range from .5 to three acres. Each farmer in the program is given .5 acres of land to tend. The revenue farmers earn may allow for them to be economically stable and support a family.   

The Plant it Forward program was conceptualized about four years ago and their first farm was started in May 2012 at Braeswood Church, which was then called Braeswood Assembly of God. Colleen O’Donnell, the Sales Manager of Plant it Forward, recalled how Braeswood gave the organization its first beginning chance.  

“Braeswood said that they were not being good stewards of the resources that God gave them because they were not using the three acres of land they had sitting there,” O’Donnell said. “They gave us our first shot. We were just an idea before that.” 

The University of St. Thomas has a smaller .5 acre farm, and Nlemba, a refugee from the Congo, tends the land. Nlemba was born on a farm and has worked on one ever since he was little. 

He moved to the United States a few years ago and has been farming in the U.S. for three years. He has been working on the farm at the University of St. Thomas since April 2013. 

In April 2013 construction began to clear way for the farm land and to start planting beds that would soon be filled with fresh produce. The official planting began in the summer of 2013.

Nlemba has greatly enjoyed farming at UST, and his favorite season to farm is fall.  

“Fall going into winter is my favorite season to plant in because I can plant many more things during that time than I can plant during the summer,” Nlemba said. “Summer is too hot and it kills my plants and seeds. This time of year [fall] I can plant with no problems. When it is hot,  you can plant in all of the beds, but only some of the beds will grow. In the summer you have to water early in the morningand by the time it is afternoon all of the water is gone, but if you water too much you kill the plants.” 

Nlemba has dreamt all of his life of one day owning a farm in America. He views America as the land of opportunity and has wanted to live here since he was young.  “By the time I came to America I had one thing in mind and that was to be a farmer,” said Nlemba. “I knew I had traveled a long way, but that God was guiding me in the right direction. When I saw this land, I saw an opportunity to make a living for myself. Sometimes I question my dream of being a farmer because land is very expensive in America, but I never give up. I think about having land with animals. When people question why I always think about that, I say it is because that is what I did in my home country. Every day I asked God to help me become a farmer and I know that farming is good for me. I always have trusted in God that he will help me and that he does everything on time.”

The UST farm sells a variety of vegetables and herbs that are all grown organically, chemical free and contain no genetically modified organisms. The produce is grown sustainably and naturally. 

The vegetables and herbs that the farm sells change seasonally, but right now the UST farm is selling many types of lettuce mixes, kale, radishes, carrots and beats. All of the greens are triple washed, picked the day before they sell them and stay fresh for about two weeks.              

Produce is available for purchase at UST Wednesdays 2:30 - 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.. 

There is also a farm share program where people can sign up to receive a weekly supply of vegetables for a family of three to four for either 16 or 32 weeks. The price of a farm share membership is slightly less than $25 a week, and interested customers can currently sign up for a farm share for the spring. The farm also sells individual produce that does not require a farm share membership.              

The farm is always in need of volunteers to help with weeding, planting and other odd jobs. More information about volunteering and farm share programs can be found at plant-it-forward.org