Did you know - we have 17 farmers in our education program this season at Big River Farms, 13 of whom we source weekly veggies from to fill your CSA share? Meet BRF farmer Nathaniel of Bethel Empowerment Farming Venture! This week, full share members will receive organic thyme grown by Nathaniel from seed.
Tell us about your farm!
I farm with my wife. This is our second year farming at Big River Farms. Our farm name is Bethel Empowerment Farming Venture. Bethel means God’s House - it’s our way of saying this is God’s House and empowering others in our farming ventures.
To be honest, I’m pretty much acquiring knowledge right now. Farming was just the way of life for us back home in Liberia. I just enjoy doing it. Maybe in a decade or so, when we acquire enough experience through trial and error, we can actually pass that knowledge on to other farmers as well.
What was your relationship to organic food and farming growing up?
I grew up in Liberia, West Africa and to be honest, we just grow things naturally – there isn’t much of a difference as far as growing organic. I worked with my family on the farm growing up. It taught us habits of how to grow our own stuff.
Do you have a favorite farming memory?
When I was four, I was given a piece of land to grow my own stuff. It helped me a lot - it showed me the work behind everything. Sometimes we just expect things are simple, and we see it done rather than being involved. Being involved in farming opens up the reality of how much work and time goes into it.
As a child, I grew some greens but over the long haul, I decided to just grow a tree there so that I didn’t have to maintain it so often. I was young and wanted to find a shorter way. I grew a cola tree that produced the second year. I also grew a palm tree that produced fruit that we used to make oil.
What has your experience been like with Big River Farms so far?
It has really created opportunities to grow and learn things that I didn’t know about before. Especially this year, I wanted to try new things. It’s really hard to find other similar places that are mentoring beginning farmers. BRF is open, they teach farmers how to be independent, how to grow different plants, and how to incorporate your ideas into your farming business. It has been very helpful.
Can you share a success you’ve had recently?
Going to the Kingfield farmers market in south Minneapolis - beginning to sell there was a huge success because I always had the fear that if I went I wouldn’t have enough produce to sell. But it was surprising and really eye-opening to see what it was like at the farmers market. It encouraged me to want to do more and more!
What challenges have you faced as an ‘emerging’ farmer?
One of the bigger challenges is farming alone. That’s always a barrier - balancing between my day job and farming. It’s possible, but strenuous.
This year, I cut my day job down to part-time because I wanted to have more flexibility during summer weekdays to farm. Last year, I lost a lot of produce because I wasn’t available during the weekdays to visit BRF and manage them.
Why do you farm?
I farm because I love it! It’s a way of life for me. I don’t see it as a business or a job, I see it as what I should be doing; to be able to sell produce and make money off of it makes it more worthwhile.
What are you growing?
Right now, I’m farming 1 acre and I’ve planted ¼ acre. We’re growing habanero peppers, okra, squash, tomatoes, basil, and green peppers. This year we also added carrots, collard greens, cabbage, watermelon, and some squash and herbs just to see how they come up. We’re trying small amounts of each one to get growing experience and ideas, you know?
I was hoping to sell some fruits – strawberries, blueberries, and other fruits – with our increased land at BRF, but won't be dong that this year. But I am trying to do some direct seeding and succession planting to have a more extended season.
What’s your favorite part about being a small farm business owner?
To be honest, you connect with people more. People get to know what you’re selling. It’s really at the farmers market that you get to connect with people directly so they know who you are.
What are your future aspirations?
To be full time farmers. We're aiming to be fully wholesale in the future. That way we'll have a better idea of how much income we’re going to have each season. When the time is right, our goal is to own our own farm, but it’s always good to take it step-by-step.
