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PLANT IT FORWARD FARMS

PLANT IT FORWARD FARMS

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.

Website

http://www.plant-it-forward.org/

Location

PLANT IT FORWARD FARMS

10595 Fondren Road
Houston, Texas 77096

Location Details

10595 Fondren Road
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).

 

 

 

Get Directions

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)

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Gallery

2016
2016
Fulbright volunteers at University of St. Thomas garden, 2016
Fulbright volunteers at University of St. Thomas garden, 2016
Westbury market, 2016
Westbury market, 2016
PPIF farmers from Congo Brazzaville and Democratic Republic of Congo, 2017
PPIF farmers from Congo Brazzaville and Democratic Republic of Congo, 2017
Girl scout with tiny carrot man, 2017
Girl scout with tiny carrot man, 2017
Henriette with African eggplant, Westbury garden
Henriette with African eggplant, Westbury garden
University of St. Thomas garden, 2016
University of St. Thomas garden, 2016
Westbury Community Garden
Westbury Community Garden
At City Hall Farmers Market, 2016
At City Hall Farmers Market, 2016
Mid Main party, 2016
Mid Main party, 2016
Building market pods, 2017
Building market pods, 2017
Farmer Christine and friend
Farmer Christine and friend
2016
2016
Scouts planting milkweed, 2017
Scouts planting milkweed, 2017
Building market pods, 2017
Building market pods, 2017
Chef Monia Pope at a market
Chef Monia Pope at a market
2017
2017
2017
2017
Benefit lunch, 2016
Benefit lunch, 2016
Story time with Culture of Health, 2016
Story time with Culture of Health, 2016
2016
2016
Farmers Market
Farmers Market
St. Paul Presbyterian Church, 2016
St. Paul Presbyterian Church, 2016
2016
2016
Benefit lunch, 2016
Benefit lunch, 2016
2017
2017
Volunteers, 2016
Volunteers, 2016
Fondren Farm, 2016
Fondren Farm, 2016
St. Paul Presbyterian event, 2016
St. Paul Presbyterian event, 2016
Farmer Christine, 2016
Farmer Christine, 2016
Cristo Rey volunteers, Westbury garden, 2016
Cristo Rey volunteers, Westbury garden, 2016
Vegetables and dandelion tea from the garden, 2017
Vegetables and dandelion tea from the garden, 2017
Girl scout butterfly / milkweed event, 2017
Girl scout butterfly / milkweed event, 2017
Harvesting sweet potatoes
Harvesting sweet potatoes
Enactus University of Houston business classes for the farmers, 2016
Enactus University of Houston business classes for the farmers, 2016
Farm Stand, 2017
Farm Stand, 2017
2017
2017
Building market pods, 2017
Building market pods, 2017
Farmer Adrien, 2016
Farmer Adrien, 2016
2016 Fiesta event
2016 Fiesta event
Volunteer at Farmers Market Eastside
Volunteer at Farmers Market Eastside
Westbury Community Garden, 2016
Westbury Community Garden, 2016
2016
Fulbright volunteers at University of St. Thomas garden, 2016
Westbury market, 2016
PPIF farmers from Congo Brazzaville and Democratic Republic of Congo, 2017
Girl scout with tiny carrot man, 2017
Henriette with African eggplant, Westbury garden
University of St. Thomas garden, 2016
Westbury Community Garden
At City Hall Farmers Market, 2016
Mid Main party, 2016
Building market pods, 2017
Farmer Christine and friend
2016
Scouts planting milkweed, 2017
Building market pods, 2017
Chef Monia Pope at a market
2017
2017
Benefit lunch, 2016
Story time with Culture of Health, 2016
2016
Farmers Market
St. Paul Presbyterian Church, 2016
2016
Benefit lunch, 2016
2017
Volunteers, 2016
Fondren Farm, 2016
St. Paul Presbyterian event, 2016
Farmer Christine, 2016
Cristo Rey volunteers, Westbury garden, 2016
Vegetables and dandelion tea from the garden, 2017
Girl scout butterfly / milkweed event, 2017
Harvesting sweet potatoes
Enactus University of Houston business classes for the farmers, 2016
Farm Stand, 2017
2017
Building market pods, 2017
Farmer Adrien, 2016
2016 Fiesta event
Volunteer at Farmers Market Eastside
Westbury Community Garden, 2016

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