Urban Agriculture 101: Growing Communities (of Plants, People, and Ants)

Hi! It’s been a while; I hope everyone has been finding their way. I sure have, right back to the farm… deep within the city of Houston. Hope Farms is this charming stretch of colorful, rich life right off of the highway. My friend Dyllan and I volunteered together to promote urban agriculture as a part of our Justice in the Food System class. But we also found an outdoor yoga studio, ag classroom, educational kitchen, and fresh produce shop at the heart of the farm (and some new must-try activities). We left feeling rejuvenated. I got a pocket of sunshine, Dyllan got a bag full of ants. Here I want to share some of our experiences to show how urban agriculture can combat food deserts, build community, and promote sustainability. 

(Hope Farms, Straight Off the Highway - 10/26/24)

https://hopefarmshtx.org/ 

We missed the entrance to Hope Farms our first time driving past the gate – it was a narrow opening lining a road where people normally cruise full speed. But what was camouflaged as highway on the outside was filled with colors and cute little sections on the inside. We hopped out of the Uber and walked up to this adorable, cabin-sized building near the front, adorned with fairy light bulbs and filled with bins of produce. The people inside were sorting and pricing the veggies. When we told them we were volunteers, they warmly welcomed us and asked us if we knew which herb they were sorting. Being Environmental Science majors, I think Dyllan and I scolded ourselves for having absolutely no idea. Reading our silence, one of the women, Lydia, smiled. “Here’s a hint. It was used in Greek medicine.” After Dyllan and I began listing off random herbs we knew, Lydia saved us. “Not quite. It’s actually sage. The Greeks used to burn it to increase wisdom.” Now, as I write this Blog nearing finals week, I’m thinking I need to get my hands on some sage ASAP. After chomping on a few leaves, we left to find the volunteer leader and stepped right into a yoga class on the patio. While tiptoeing past, we began to realize how much more this was than a farm. 

(Hope Farms Patio - 10/26/24)

We found the leader, Andrew, pulling nutsedge weeds out of the children’s garden. He explained that the farm tries to be as interactive and inclusive as possible. It holds family-friendly cooking classes, farmer training classes, and food competitions in addition to yoga. According to the website: 

HOPE FARMS STORE is open every Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Begin the day at 9:00 with free yoga; then explore our offer of freshly harvested produce alongside free range eggs, honey and delicious prepared foods. Stay to enjoy cooking demonstrations and the opportunity to volunteer in our gardens.

A lovely Saturday, fit for the Instagram story of an all-natural, whole foods, mind-body-flow influencer but meant for everyone. These inviting programs advance Hope Farms' greater goal of promoting access to healthy food and creating community-building opportunities. 

Let me backtrack a bit; I can’t forget to talk about the heartbeat of the farm–the crops. Some sections, like the pollinator garden, seemed to be thriving, with vibrant colored flowers and peaceful chirping from within. Dyllan and I weeded these well-kept sections, feeling calm and removed from the occasional honk heard from the highway. The contrast between the swaying plants and restless bustling of the city reminded me of the dynamic between Rice and Houston. 

(Hope Farms Ambience - 10/26/24)

Then, we were given the task of selectively watering the most dehydrated crops and pruning their dead limbs. I removed every limb from one of the rose bushes because the only surviving part was its feeble base. The drought conditions of the past month paired with a limited water supply had tested their ability to thrive. 

(Watering Rose Bushes - 10/26/24)

The soil was hit just as hard. Seeing the cracked, dusty soil, we asked Andrew if it would be trickier than normal to grow in this parched soil. He told us absolutely; Ironically enough, the drier the soil becomes, the more water it repels. This is because the soil is filled with beneficial microorganisms like bacteria and fungi that help to break down waxy residuals that form on the soil’s surface, but without enough moisture, they die off and the hydrophobic wax layer builds up. 

After our volunteering shift ended, we decided to explore a bit. Dyllan set down her bag under a shaggy, shady tree and locked her eyes on the chicken coop. I followed her gaze and skipped behind her to the chickens, who were clucking away and pecking their food dispenser. Suddenly, a larger and more colorful guy extended his neck and to our surprise, let rip a few “COCK-A-DOODLE-DO!”s, either signaling about the time of day, the presence of predators, or displaying his confidence. Dyllan and I giggled and admired his color pattern. On our way out, we thanked the chicken for supplying eggs locally, said goodbye to the funky-legged insect we befriended while watering, and checked the calendar for the next yoga class. 

(COCK-A-DOODLE-DO - 10/26/24)

We were sharing insect and flower pictures in the car when Dyllan caught a glimpse of her purse and gasped. A stream of ants was parading down the corduroy walls and into her lap. 

She mouthed a silent scream, but we continued to casually chat about our plans to return to the garden with our residential college’s Eco-committee. 

(Ant Bag - 10/26/24)

Hope Farms found a way to bring its community together while promoting healthy and sustainable habits like gardening, practicing yoga, and eating natural, local produce. With enough community support and engagement, they made urban produce production possible. Both the hard work and its fruitful rewards were distributed in a nurturing, cooperative Hope Farms ecosystem, open to all.