On Wednesday and Thursday, Black Sustainability, Inc. and We Grow Food, Inc. welcome the community to attend the St. Thomas Farm Irrigation Workshop, at the Bordeaux Farmers’ Market on St. Thomas. The workshop is an immersive, hands-on gathering designed to equip farmers, land stewards, and sustainability leaders with critical tools in regenerative agriculture and water conservation.
In partnership with We Grow Food, Inc., this workshop centers Afroecology and the wisdom of working in harmony with the land. Participants will explore Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) practices through real-time application, including smart drip irrigation systems, soil moisture and weather monitoring, and automated sprinkler technologies, all essential for building resilient, climate-conscious food systems.
“This is a space to connect across the diaspora, exchange knowledge, and strengthen our collective ability to sustain both land and livelihood. Together, we are cultivating systems that honor our ancestors, support our present, and secure our future,” Raina Greenlea Turner, Black Sustainability, Inc.
Greenlea Turner said the whole experience is, “a powerful international learning experience rooted in land, legacy, and liberation!”
Ending the week on Friday, June 19, after the workshops conclude We Grow Food, Inc. encourages the community to also attend a collaborative community social Juneteenth gathering in partnership with grassroots organizations and the University of the Virgin Islands.
See the workshop agenda below. For more information contact Barbara LaRonde Petersen at 404-824-8254.
June 17
– 10:30 a.m. Depart for Mother Nature Farm
– Noon: Lunch
– 1 p.m. Welcome — Delano “Cubu” Francis, President, We Grow Food, Inc.
– 1:15 p.m. Intro Black Sustainability, Inc. and Eco-PARADIGM: AfroEcology and NRCS Benefits
– 1:45 p.m. Climate Smart Agriculture and NRCS Tour
– 2:30 p.m. Irrigation: Various types and how the system works
– 3 p.m. Installation of Water Catchment and Manifold
– 5 p.m. Close
June 18
– 9 a.m. Welcome — We Grow Food, Inc.
– 9:15 a.m. Intro/AfroEcology and NRCS Benefits with the Black Sustainability, Inc. and Eco-PARADIGM Team
– 9:45 a.m. Climate Smart Agriculture and NRCS
– 10:30 a.m. Irrigation — Various types, benefits and how the system works
– 11 a.m. Install Irrigation
– 1 p.m. Lunch/Discussion: How to get started with NRCS and what to consider
– 2 p.m. Install Irrigation Part 2
– 5 p.m. Close
