The Farmplate Blog

NAME: Ruby Olisemeka

FARM: Stone Barns

AGE: 37

Can you provide some information about your farming operation? What makes it special?

Organic farming is a method of ecological restoration, and I am part of a new farm breed that is thinking outside the box, the type of farmer that is transposing the principles, methods and techniques behind the traditional rural farmscape onto other systems, in my case suburbia. Restoration should not be limited to rural venues but extend out into suburban and urban landscapes. I'm currently a part of the Ward Acres Community "farm." What makes it special? Its potential.

The community farm is situated in a prominent section of 62 acre Ward Acres Park in the more suburban section of the city of New Rochelle. We are connected to a forest, the local elementary school, a river, a bog-like pond, and a vibrant multicultural community.

Almost every principle of farming I know of can be applied to the Ward Acre setting as a model, an example to show other suburban communities the positive social, environmental, educational and economic yields that can be obtained from caring for and protecting their green spaces. 

Why do you believe farming is important, particularly for the younger generation, and why did you decide to become a farmer? 

Restoration. Organic farming can be equated to land restoration. Organic farming is a practice through which we can help save our planet from several environmental disasters, biodiversity loss, soil erosion, climate change, the full laundry list.

More so its a way to get us to appreciate and respect our living family that occupy all six Kingdoms from bacteria to animalia and beyond. It is our disrespect and unappreciation of this living family that has us facing potential ecological and environmental disasters.

Therefore anyone at any stage of life should pick up the practice of organic farming. The young in particular because amongst the youth there exists a propensity to take risks, shrug off dogma and drive innovation. Innovation is what farming needs right now, new ideas to maximize the nutritional value of our foods, to restore biodiversity and the health of all living systems.

Photo courtesy Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture

Note: This post is part of FarmPlate's new series about young farmers. If you want to be included, know someone we should profile or have comments/questions about our series, please contact Jeff Gangemi at jgangemi@farmplate.com.