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Not for Profit: We Grow Food

Jan. 19, 2009 — Starting out with just 25 members in 1993, the Bordeaux farmers collective We Grow Food has grown to about 50 members, who have plans this year to expand their organization with a number of community-oriented initiatives geared toward growing the local agriculture industry and training a new generation of farmers to follow in their footsteps.
The collective is best known for its annual Rastafari Agricultural and Cultural Fair, which draws hundreds residents and visitors alike to its home at the Bordeaux tennis courts. The organization is in the process of leasing the space from the Department of Agriculture — the land was recently turned over to Agriculture from the Department of Housing, Parks and Recreation — and getting together the money needed to put a covering over the area, install permanent booths and construct a new headquarters for the collective.
"Right now, most of our members are farmers — there's one that's not a farmer, but he's done so much for our organization that we had to keep him with us," jokes Ras Amaha, We Grow Food's vice president. "But really, when we started this, the main idea was to create our own market down in the west. That way, when our youths begin to grow up, when they replace us, they will have something to call their own — a level platform to work on. We want them to have a good foundation on which to farm."
Now in its 12th year, the annual fair has become only one aspect of the organization, which has since branched out to spread its message throughout the community: healthy living through the cultivation of homegrown, organic produce. In addition to partnering with many smaller local groups, such as the Environmental Rangers, We Grow Food's members have become involved in various environmental efforts, ranging from a St. Thomas recycling organization to a culinary herb project involving students from local schools.
The organization also holds a smaller farmers market at the tennis courts on the last Sunday of every month.
Most recently, members of the organization were approached by a group of local restaurateurs — part of an initiative called Grow V.I., spearheaded by St. Thomas business owner Shanna James — interested in supplying their businesses with fresh, local produce on a more consistent basis. So far, five restaurants on St. Thomas have pledged to work with about seven or eight local farmers, who in turn have each committed to producing certain crops that will get distributed to the restaurants regularly. (See "Chefs Showcase Locally Grown Food for Farm-Restaurant Partnership.")
"They've offered us a great price for the produce," says Derrick Hodge, We Grow Food's president. "We still have some adjustments to make overall, but for years producing food on this kind of consistent basis is something we've wanted to capitalize on. This project will really give us the opportunity to test the waters and see what we have to work on in order to reach our goal of being able to sustain — if not all of the island, then half, in case an emergency arises."
Paving the road toward that kind of sustainability isn't easy, Hodge says. In terms of money, We Grow Food is truly a not-for-profit, bringing in about $10,000 a year, which is split up between the grants it receives from the local and federal government and funds collected at events such as the annual fair. The organization's expenses — which include utility costs and rentals — eat up more than half the money, he explains.
For years, the farmers have also raised concerns about their lack of resources — water in particular, which is a much-needed commodity in the area. The seven or so dams in Bordeaux sometimes dry up or get clogged, and on some farms there's no system in place to channel the water in, the collective's members have said. The Agriculture Department has recently embarked on two initiatives: a new water-storage pond, along with a water-pipe stand that draws water from a natural spring running through Bordeaux. But those projects mostly benefit farmers with reliable transportation, according to Ras Amaha.
"Some farmers are able to truck the water away, but it's not so easy for those of us who need it on the land directly," he says. "There was never any infrastructure in place for this, so even though Agriculture is trying to help us, there's no funding for us to set up the kind of irrigation system, to put up the pipes, we need for all the farmers to get the water. It's not complete, not yet."
But the farmers remain positive, Hodge says. Continuing their partnership with Agriculture, We Grow Food's members are actively involved with plans to expand and build the area, which includes the construction of a new office building for the organization and a dehydration plant for fruits and herbs.
"We got about $200,000 through a grant for the project, which is about half of what it is expected to cost," Hodge says. "So Agriculture is going to match that, which is a really great thing. Once we get that finished, we can start holding more events — like a concert in the summer, which a lot of people have asked us for."
Meanwhile, the organization's members are going to continue to spread their message of healthy living.
"We need to make the development of a sustainable agriculture industry a reality," Hodge says. "Farming is important — it's more than planting a seed and watching it grow. It's about being connected to the earth and what's around us, developing a healthy lifestyle and feeding people good food. The flavor, when you get something out of the ground and cook it, speaks for itself. And that's what we're all about."
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