Chris Lawrence with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service goes over a crop lesson with urban agriculture fellows. (Photo courtesy Tricycle)
In March, farmers and gardeners have a distinct scent: an organic breeze of soil, herbs and sweat. Their nails are noticeably dirtier. They’re often missing on Saturday mornings when you may normally find them at brunch. Instead, they’re pushing new seeds into the ground and popping into Southern Exposure Seed Exchange for more supplies.
Some of these gardeners are new to wearing this signature perfume. They’re the latest cohort of fellows from Tricycle’s Urban Agriculture Fellowship and Certification program. A class of six Richmond-area green thumbs graduated from the program in 2018, following nine who completed the program in 2017.
“The average age of farmers is approaching 60 years old,” says Sally Schwitters, the organization’s executive director. “Little is being done to cultivate new farmers. … If we don’t have farmers to grow our food, then we won’t have food.”
Schwitters hopes that Tricycle’s urban agriculture program will help, teaching community members everything from how to coax a fig tree into bearing fruit to how to build a business that stays green.
“We’ve brought in the elements of what it takes to start a business, with the hope that we will develop entrepreneurs who will develop commercial farms,” Schwitters says. “We want those farms grown in our community, by our community and for our community.”
So what does it take to make a garden grow?
In Like a Lion
By March, broccoli sprouts begin to push their way out of the soil, reaching for the sun. At the same time, a class of fellows will begin putting in 20 hours a week for 10 months, which corresponds with the cycle of nature, says Beth Nelson, Tricycle’s programs manager.
“The program is built around having both classroom instruction and immersed experiences in our farm alongside staff,” Nelson says. Tricycle has several farm and orchard locations across the city where fellows learn from the soil up. “We start our class on soil production, then we move on to greenhouse management, starting seedlings and getting them into the ground.”
Watch It Grow
By summer, the fruit of green tomatoes will drip out of stems and grow into small crimson balloons.
During this time, Tricycle’s urban farm managers such as Amy Wilderman are teaching fellowship participants how to keep conditions just right for blooming. That includes water management during dry weeks and even months. That also means taming weeds, pests and diseases. Even the bees matter here.
“With farming you really have to know about everything,” Wilderman says. “You’re a marketer, you’re customer service, you’re an entomologist, you’re a soil expert.”
The Bounty
By the fall, it’s time to harvest. At this point in the course, fellows have been exposed to all aspects of farming. Now it’s time to figure out what kind of bounty they want to share with the world. Former fellows have gone on to plant gardens to create natural hair-care products. Others bring animals into the mix alongside urban vegetable gardens. Cut flowers and microgreens are also being grown around the city by Tricycle fellows.
Whatever route the fellows take, they must present a business plan, which is developed with the help of experts in financing and legal documentation. Once completed, a select few will get to incubate their businesses on land in Henrico County in partnership with First Baptist Church.
You Can Grow, Too
Tricycle will accept and review applications into January 2019. They’ll then extend offers for the third cohort of the certified fellowship program to start in March. Many of the courses in the grant-funded fellowship program are also open to the general public, with individuals paying to take part in specific classes. To apply, visit tricycleurbanag.org.