PLANT IT FORWARD FARMS

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.

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.

Help Needed

FARMING / HARVESTING

After a 15-minute orientation, 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 is currently at the Urban Harvest Eastside Farmers’ Market on Saturdays from 7 AM to noon, plus other Farm Share distribution points during the week. In the future there will be other market opportunities.

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.

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.

Contact:

Please contact N’deye, Volunteer and Community Engagement Coordinator, at [email protected]plant–it–forward.org, email [email protected] or call (713) 432-0754.

Website:

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

Plant It Forward (2 minutes 27 seconds) (2014)