
About
What Is It?
A nonprofit that offers economically disadvantaged refugees an opportunity to become self-sufficient through growing, harvesting, and selling produce from a sustainable urban farm in Houston, while providing fresh, local produce to Houstonians.
Help Needed:
Help with farming activities, prepare produce for market, sell produce at farmers’ markets, work on fundraisers or other special projects, take photos, help with social media, or assist in the office. Please contact Plant It Forward for COVID-related updates.
Details
Minimum Age to Volunteer
7. Volunteers age 7-16 must have adult supervision. Students over 16 can work independently (or in groups) with parental approval.
Time Commitment
“We can use you for an hour or a full morning, but it will be good to coordinate that with the farmer that you are paired with that day.”
Suitable for Groups of Volunteers?
Yes. Groups must be prescheduled with the Volunteer Coordinator, and groups larger than 6 will require one accompanying adult for every 6 students.
Plant It Forward can schedule special work days for your school or other group. This is a great way to build community within your group.
Training Needed
Each farm volunteer must attend a 10-15 minute orientation session — covering farm structure, safety rules, and volunteering options — before starting work. (If you are helping with non-farm work, the orientation is not necessary.)
Most orientation sessions take place on group work days; Plant It Forward sends out notices for upcoming dates. If you can’t make one of these dates, contact the Volunteer Coordinator for alternatives.
Help Needed

FARMING / HARVESTING
Volunteers are paired with farmers to assist with daily farming activities. This may include harvesting, weeding, composting, watering, or cleaning up the land, depending on the specific needs of the day. This is usually a morning activity and will be a physical activity.

PRODUCE PROCESSING
After a daily or weekly harvest, produce is taken to Plant It Forward’s (non-air-conditioned) warehouse for washing, sorting, and market prep. Assistance here does not require as much mobility as on the farm.

HELP AT FARMERS’ MARKETS
Plant It Forward’s farmers sell their produce at Farmers Markets throughout the city, and volunteers can help. A current list showing times and places is here.

SPECIAL PROJECTS
This could be helping to build out a new farm, helping with a farm dinner, or other special projects that wouldn’t be possible without assistance from volunteers and the community.

HELP IN THE OFFICE
Plant It Forward sometimes needs help with administrative duties. This could include webpage maintenance, mailings, photography, or other things. This may not have as much contact with the farm or the farmers, but is a big help to the organization.
Contact Details
Contact
The Plant It Forward volunteer page is here.
Location
PLANT IT FORWARD FARMS
Houston, Texas 77096
Location Details
Houston, Texas 77096
In addition to the 3-acre farm at Braeswood Church (corner of Fondren & Willowbend), there are three other Plant it Forward farms (see below).
Additional Information
Plant It Forward (2 minutes 27 seconds) (2014)
Examples of past Scout projects
Girl Scouts gave away free milkweed plants at PIF’s Pollinator Party at the Westbury Community Garden. (2017)
Leave a Comment