Farming While Black

by Leah Penniman

  UPLIFT

  Cuban Urban Agriculture

  After the food crisis of 1989, when Cuba was cut off from trade with the rest of the world and residents experienced a loss of one-third of their daily calories, urban residents took action. Cubans created 8,000 parcelas (small lot gardens) and 1,000 small livestock enterprises in Havana alone. They implemented closed-loop, agroecological techniques and relied on compost and recycled organic matter for soil nutrition. The government caught on to the value of urban farming and created policies to support and expand the practice. The state offered training programs, set up subsidized agricultural stores, and created three compost production sites, seven artisanal pesticide labs, and 40 urban veterinary clinics in Havana, and set up a nationwide network of urban farming infrastructure. People drew on traditional farming techniques to creatively farm in small spaces. Although the urban agriculture movement came to incorporate new research on agroecological production, it was largely informed by knowledge that had been passed down over the generations, including from African ancestors.

  Cuba became the global model for urban agriculture, sustaining food security for 25 years in an oil-scarce environment. Currently more than 86,000 acres of land are being used for urban agriculture in Havana. One rooftop farmer in the El Cerro neighborhood of Havana raises six chickens, two turkeys, 40 guinea pigs, and more than 100 rabbits on the roof, plus maintains systems for vegetables, compost, and rainwater collection.9 Urban and other small-plot farms have played a major role in increasing vegetable consumption in Cuba, and in allowing the country to domestically produce almost all of the fruits and vegetables that its people consume, without relying on imported inputs.

  Organoponico Vivero Alamar in Havana. Photo by Elizabeth Henderson.

  Sprouts can be grown in jars or trays on the countertop.

  Most seeds contain natural toxins to protect against herbivory. Precautions are necessary to ensure that you do not consume these toxins in your sprouts.

  Legumes contain lectins, a natural toxin. Certain types of legumes have less of this toxin and are preferable for sprouting, including lentil, sugar pea, adzuki, urad, and garbanzo. Do not sprout peas in the Lathyrogen family.

  Flaxseeds contain cyanogenic glycosides—natural toxins that decompose into hydrogen cyanide when crushed. Medical professionals recommend that you not consume either raw or sprouted flaxseed in large quantities.

  Sunflower seeds have a high content of the heavy metal cadmium, which can accumulate in the body. Medical professionals recommend eating sunflower seeds in small quantities.

  Buckwheat seeds contain the natural toxin fagopyrin on their hard outer shell. Some people are sensitive to this substance and may experience skin irritation if they consume large quantities of buckwheat sprouts.

  Alfalfa contains the natural plant toxin L-Canavanine. To neutralize this substance, grow the sprouts until they produce green leaves. The small concentration of this toxin in the sprouts should not harm a healthy individual.

  Microgreens

  Like sprouts, microgreens are packed with nutrients and beneficial enzymes. The difference is that microgreens are grown for three to four weeks in a thin layer of soil and only the stems and leaves are consumed, not the roots. They are also less likely to suffer contamination as compared with sprouts. Our favorite microgreens are lettuce, kale, spinach, radish, beet, watercress, mustard greens, cabbage, sunflower, buckwheat, and culinary herbs.

  Grow microgreens in a south-facing window or under a grow light. Place an inch of organic potting soil in the bottom of a 1020 flat or other shallow tray. Evenly scatter about 1 ounce (28 g) of small seeds or 2 ounces (57 g) of larger seeds over the soil. Cover the seeds with a thin layer of soil and use a spray bottle to water the seeds. Mist twice per day. Some farmers like to use a plastic blackout dome over the greens to encourage them to grow taller before turning green. Such a dome is optional. Harvest the greens with shears when they are about 2 inches tall, rinse, drain, and enjoy!

  Containers and Rooftops

  In urban spaces we may only be able to access a fire escape, front stoop, rooftop, or tiny yard for growing our crops. In these cases container gardening can be a space-efficient way to provide for ourselves. Containers can be made of plastic, clay, ceramic, or wood so long as they have drainage holes at the bottom. Avoid lumber treated with chemicals. Locate your container garden in a spot that gets at least six hours of direct sunlight per day, such as a south-facing patio.

  Vegetables that do best in containers have a compact growth pattern and can tolerate the limited volume of soil. Most vegetables require at least 8 inches of soil for their roots to develop properly; the deeper and more voluminous the container, the higher the yields. Table 11.3 lists crops that grow well in containers and their space requirements. You can fill your containers with a mixture of compost and garden soil, or purchase organic potting soil. Container gardens require fertilization since the roots are limited in their ability to scavenge for nutrients naturally. A biweekly dose of compost tea or seaweed emulsion will help your plants thrive. For crops with heavy fruits, like tomatoes, eggplants, and pepper, provide supportive staking.

  Table 11.3. Container Sizes for Vegetables

  The frequent watering required by container gardening is one of the barriers that discourages some farmers. Containers need to be watered daily, saturating the medium such that water drains out of the holes at the bottom. If daily watering is not possible for you, consider constructing a container garden with reservoirs. The farmers at the Rooftop Garden Project in Quebec published free designs for several types of reservoir gardens that can be constructed with scavenged materials. My favorite simply uses two 5-gallon (20 L) buckets stacked with a spacer in between. The bottom bucket is filled with water through a pipe. The top bucket is perforated and filled with the soil and the plants. Through capillary action, the water is drawn up into the soil medium. This setup allows the farmer to water once every few days rather than on a daily basis, and results in a healthier crop.10

  Sajo Jefferson tends rooftop crops at Top Leaf Farms in Berkeley, California. Photo by Rucha Chitnis.

  Intensive Growing

  In urban spaces, every square foot of growing space is precious. When we managed community gardens in Worcester, I remember clandestine deals made between growers to maximize the number of plots they could access: “You sign up your sister for a plot and then I will grow the food and tend it, but don’t tell nobody.” Personally, I have done my fair share of negotiating, squatting, and fabrication to find a place for my seeds to germinate. Land is our right and fundamental to our survival. For that reason, we need to make best use of the space we have.

  Youth at Gardening the Community, Springfield, Massachusetts, prepare an area for biointensive growing. Photo by Ibrahim Ali.

  Table 11.4. Plant Spacing for Square-Foot Gardening

  Intensive growing maximizes productivity. Pile on the compost and inoculants to magnify the health of the soil so that it can support more plants per unit area. Rather than plant in rows, organize the garden into a grid comprised of 1-foot (30 cm) squares. Within each square, evenly space plants according to their requirements, as shown in table 11.4. Stake or cage any crop that has the capacity to grow vertically. Pole beans, winter squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, and peas are all encouraged to grow up rather than sprawl, further maximizing the use of space. As soon as one crop is harvested, remove it immediately, add an inch of compost, and plant the next succession.

  Mushrooms

  As Haitian people we cherish the color, taste, and aroma that the djon-djon mushroom imparts on rice. In Nigeria we make soups and stews with plump mushrooms, called ero or elo in Igbo, or olu in Yoruba. Harvesting and cooking with fungi predates recorded history in Africa.

  Cultivating mushrooms requires very little space, light, or maintenance. Mushrooms are low in cholesterol, high in vitamin D and protein, and said to boost the immune system, regulate diabetes, and combat cancer. All it takes
to grow mushrooms are logs, fungal spores, water, and a drill bit.

  At Soul Fire Farm we grow several strains of shiitake mushrooms (Lentinula edodes), and look forward to trying oyster, lion’s mane, box elder, and nameko mushrooms in the future. We purchase spawn from Field & Forest Products. Growing mushrooms on logs, in contrast with sawdust, imbues them with higher nutrient content. Shiitakes prefer oak logs, but we are not blessed with oak on our land, so we use sugar maple. Hophornbeam, red maple, ironwood, alder, poplar, and yellow birch also work well for growing shiitakes. In early spring, cut 4-foot (1.25 m) logs from fresh, living trees. Then, let the logs rest for a week or two while the antifungal coumarins dissipate. Drill 5/16-inch (8 mm) holes, 1 inch deep into the logs at 10-inch (25 cm) intervals down the length of the log. Spin the log to provide a gap of 2 inches (5 cm) between the rows, and stagger the holes from one row to the next until the entire log surface is drilled. Insert the plugs into the log and seal the holes with paraffin wax to prevent other fungal species from colonizing the log. Additionally, apply a layer of wax to either end of the log to retain moisture. Stack the logs in a crisscross pattern under the shade of trees or a building. Keep the logs moist by either using a sprinkler or soaking them in a tank for 24 hours every month. Some growers pound their logs with a heavy bar or drop them forcefully to encourage fruiting. Fruits emerge after four to six months and continue producing for several years.

  Soul Fire Farmers drill holes in maple logs to prepare them for fungal inoculation. Photo by Jonah Vitale-Wolff.

  Vermicomposting

  Vermicomposting puts red wiggler or red earthworms to work eating your food scraps. Vermicomposting is an ideal strategy for the urban dweller who does not have access to an outdoor compost pile. The rich castings produced by the worms are suitable to fertilize container gardens and houseplants. Source a long, wide plastic bin with a lid, sized to about 1 cubic foot (0.03 cubic meter) per person in your household. Use a hammer and nail to poke ample holes into the lid. Add shredded newsprint, food scraps, and approximately 1 pound (0.5) of worms to the bin. Maintain a ratio of 70:30 paper (brown matter) to food scraps (green matter) by adding food to your bin as available, at least every couple of weeks. Stir the contents of the bin gently once every one to two weeks to help with aeration. Always keep a layer of shredded paper on top of the pile to discourage odor and insects. Keep the contents of the bin as moist as a damp sponge and in a location between 55° and 75°F (13–24°C). After 1 month you can harvest your first castings. Begin feeding the worms only on one side of the bin to encourage them to migrate over. Then remove the castings from the side without the food and pick out any straggling worms. The compost can be applied immediately to your container gardens.

  Red wiggler worms transform kitchen scraps into Black Gold. Photo by Elizabeth Vitale.

  Community

  Do not protect yourself by a fence, but rather by your friends.

  —CZECH PROVERB

  Urban agriculture is distinct from rural growing, not just in terms of access to space, but also in regard to proximity of people. Neighborhood gentrifiers often view the humans on the block as obstacles to the beautiful gardens they want to establish. They view community in terms of vandalism, theft, and trespassing. Gardens that are created by and for community members see humans as essential components of the urban ecology, integral to the health of the space.

  There is no substitute for creating a garden space together with neighbors from the ground up. It is much more difficult to “outreach” to stakeholders after key decisions have been made. Ownership comes from authentic involvement from the beginning and the shared power that ensues. Once a garden is established, certain practices encourage ongoing community involvement:

  Youth investigate a sunflower with Black urban farmer and author of The Color of Food, Natasha Bowens. Photo courtesy of Natasha Bowens.

  Transparent membership process and decision-making structures so new people can get involved

  Regular community volunteer days, tours, workshops, meals, and public celebrations

  Open gate, low fence, or no fence

  Multilingual signage indicating name and purpose of the garden, and contact information for getting involved

  Donations or low-cost sales of produce to neighbors

  Designated planters at the garden edge with signs indicating that people can help themselves

  Maintenance of a beautiful and organized space that inspires pride

  We want to offer a shout-out to some urban farms and urban farming initiatives that were founded and led by Black people and exemplify community ownership. This list is certainly incomplete. Reach out in your city to connect with the courageous urban farmers who are leaders in the Black land sovereignty movement.

  D-Town Farm, Detroit, Michigan

  East New York Farms!, Brooklyn, New York

  Farm a Lot Program, Detroit, Michigan (founded by Black mayor Coleman Young, 1974)11

  Farms to Grow, Oakland, California

  Garden of Happiness, Bronx, New York

  Gardening the Community, Springfield, Massachusetts

  Growing Power, Milwaukee, Wisconsin (now stewarded by Green Veterans)

  Hattie Carthan Community Garden, Brooklyn, New York

  La Mott Community Garden, Cheltenham, Pennsylvania

  RID-ALL Green Partnership, Cleveland, Ohio

  Ron Finley Project, Los Angeles, California

  Sankofa Farm at Bartram’s Garden, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

  Soilful City, Washington, DC

  Truly Living Well, Atlanta, Georgia

  Urban Growers Collective, Chicago, Illinois

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Cooking and Preserving

  I need to hear the bumping of pestles making percussion with sunrise and twilight. I need the scratch of grating tubers and the grinding of spices on stone. I need the sonic world of the ancestors, lullabies said while babies are fed, bawdy songs as the land is smoothed for planting. I need to understand the sound of the wind in the rice and the complexities of the yam mounds intercropped to save space. I need the rustle of the oil palm fronds so I can hear the generations speak.

  —MICHAEL W. TWITTY, The Cooking Gene: A Journey Through African American Culinary History in the Old South

  The two-hour round trip to pick up 80-year-old Mama Isola from her modest apartment in a senior housing complex was rousing and challenging. We were on our way to the farm to co-facilitate a workshop on canning and food preserving. Mama Isola, the canning expert with decades of life experience, would teach the content. I, the young organizer, would convene the people and ensure that all necessary supplies and equipment were in place. As we drove, Mama Isola told me about life as a young girl in Mississippi. Her family raised all of the vegetables and meat they needed to survive and only went to the store for “flour and sugar.” She also explained to me that I needed to learn how to cook properly so that my husband would never leave me. “Men love through their stomachs,” she explained, waving her tattered copy of The Way to a Man’s Heart for emphasis. I lovingly countered, “My man needs to learn how to cook so I don’t leave him!” She just shook her head.

  Mama Isola offered the 20 aspiring young homesteaders plenty of insider tips on canning during her afternoon in our farm kitchen. “Put a metal spoon in with the hot beets so your jar doesn’t crack … Scald the tomatoes with boiling water and the skins come right off … Did you wash your hands properly, young lady, or do you want to poison your husband with nasty germs?” Learning from elders involves more effort and complexity than looking up procedures online. We decided to embrace the rich texture of intergenerational transference and were blessed with a day of learning, laughter, and heritage.

  Too often we are told that healthy cooking and food preservation is a “white people thing,” when in fact, the unhealthy aspects of our cuisine resulted from the deprivations instituted under slavery. In this chapter we uplift traditional and contemporary African Diasporic diets, r
ecipes, and food preservation methods. We also offer strategies for stocking up and eating healthy on a limited budget.

  Mother Isola teaches a canning workshop at Soul Fire Farm. Photo by Jonah Vitale-Wolff.

  African Food Pyramid

  In addition to mass incarceration, one of the most insidious and pervasive forms of state violence against our people is the flooding of our communities with foods that kill us. In fact, Black people are 10 times more likely to die from poor diets than from all forms of physical violence combined. From the corner store, to the public school lunchroom, to the prisons, our federal government subsidizes the processed foods that undermine the health and future of our community. The USDA invests $130 billion annually into industrial agriculture and commodity foods, such as wheat, soy, milk, and dairy, and comparatively little into “specialty crops” like vegetables.1 White neighborhoods have an average of four times as many supermarkets as predominantly black communities. Fast-food chains and junk-food corporations disproportionately target their advertising to children of color, resulting in an epidemic of childhood obesity and diabetes.2 In our Black communities nearly 40 percent of the children are overweight or obese, a higher percentage than for other ethnic groups. African Americans are also two times as likely to have diabetes as whites, and 29 percent more likely to die prematurely of all causes than Americans as a whole. And perhaps most insidious, in this wealthy nation, one in three black children and one in four Latino children go to bed hungry at night. Clearly, the current food system does not have the best interests of our community in mind. We believe that the term food desert is too passive to describe the inequity in today’s food system. Our mentor, Black farmer-activist Karen Washington, taught us to recognize America for what it is, a deliberate “food apartheid” where certain populations live in food opulence and others cannot meet their basic survival needs.