VSU's Sustainable Agriculture Program Equips Navy Veteran for New Mission
U.S. Navy Veteran and VSU’s Sustainable & Urban Agriculture Certificate Program graduate, Judge Graham, Jr.
Navy Veteran Says Best Part of VSU’s Sustainable Agriculture Program is Getting Your Hands Dirty
Judge Graham Jr. proudly dons a U.S. Navy cap and a big grin. In his hand is a certificate he earned after recently completing Virginia State University’s Sustainable Urban Agriculture Certificate Program.
The 12-week program is taught on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at VSU’s Randolph Farm. It is designed for educators, Master Gardeners, home gardeners, commercial growers and community or nonprofit organizations who are interested in starting an urban farm or who are managing an urban farm and want to increase marketability. The curriculum is rich in science-based knowledge needed to successfully and safely grow produce in an urban environment.
“I’m proud of this certificate,” Graham says. “You’re learning how to grow things, how to harvest things properly. You’re actually in a lab environment engaging in hands-on experience. There’s nothing better than getting your hands in the soil and actually doing the work, and then you get to see the results before you even leave the classroom.” The retired Navy veteran, who proudly served his country for 26 years, is now on another mission – to help impoverished communities that don’t have access to fresh produce build gardens in their neighborhoods.
Graham is a volunteer with The Mission Continues, a national nonprofit that connects veterans with under-resourced communities. In 2015, he began helping underserved communities in the Hampton Roads area build community gardens. After meeting with community members to find out what their needs were, one of the priorities was they wanted to grow their own produce because there were no grocery stores in close proximity to their neighborhoods, he says. Urban agriculture - defined as the growing of plants and the raising of animals for food and other uses within and around cities and towns – can help address food deserts in communities with limited access to fresh produce. At least 18 percent of Virginia’s population is affected by limited food access or food deserts, according to the USDA National Institute of Agriculture (NIFA).
Graham wasn’t a stranger to farming. He grew up in Plant City, Florida, which he says is the “strawberry capital of the world.” Although he grew up in the city, he worked on a farm as a boy, and also participated in 4-H and Future Farmers of America programs, which gave him a solid foundation in agriculture. He thought the knowledge gained in his youth had been lost until he joined the Sustainable Urban Agriculture program in March 2019. During the course, students learn about sustainable soil management, plant propagation and nursery management, permaculture, plant disease and pest management, greenhouse production using hydroponics and aquaponics, raising small animals like chickens and rabbits, urban farm business planning and management and much more. Courses are taught by VSU and Virginia Tech agriculture professors and invited experts. Instruction consists of lectures in the morning and hands-on outdoor and lab activities in the afternoon. In addition to coursework, students must complete an 80-hour internship at an approved urban farm.
“Urban farming has experienced a rise in popularity in recent years, and there is a growing need for more academically trained urban agriculture professionals to serve in this sector, and this program is helping to fill that need,” says Dr. Leonard Githinji, assistant professor and sustainable & urban agriculture Extension specialist at Virginia Cooperative Extension at VSU. Githinji leads the popular program, which he began together with his colleagues at VSU and Virginia Tech three years ago.
“Going through the Sustainable Urban Agriculture program brought back memories, things I thought I had forgot as far as weed management, pest control, fertilizing,” Graham says. “It also gave me some new technology as well. I never really dealt with hydroponics and aquaculture until I attended the VSU program. Some of the new technology I learned in this course really brought me some new skill sets to put in my agricultural toolbox.”
What Graham learned in the course is reinforcing the work he and fellow volunteers do in the community, and helping him build even more sustainable gardens in neighborhoods that need them the most.
“We had been doing this work prior to taking the course,” he adds. “The course really enhanced what we already had been doing, and it really brought us extra skill sets so we can do better as far as supporting the community in growing food.”
Graham joins the ranks of about 40 other students who have completed the Sustainable Urban Agriculture Certificate Program since it began in 2017. The program is accepting applications for its next class, which will run from March 7 through May 30. The fee for the program is $250. The program accepts about 35 students per year and there is a limited number of full and partial scholarships available on a first-come, first-served basis. The deadline to apply for the program is Feb. 28.
Graham can’t say enough good things about the program. “I would definitely recommend it and here’s why … even if you don’t apply the skills (to create an urban farm or community garden), even if you’re just taking it for information purposes, you still need to understand about sustainability and supporting the local farmers and where your food comes from so you can make healthy choices.”
And if you decide you want to start a farm or community garden, that’s even better, he says. The instructors are very knowledgeable and helpful, and willing to help you find answers to problems you may be having with your garden. “I like how VSU makes it a win-win situation. You can enlist the help of the experts there at the university to help you solve some of your issues, and they’re more than willing to come out to your community farm and help you out.”
For more information on the Sustainable Urban Agriculture Certificate Program, contact Dr. Githinji at lgithinji@vsu.edu or (804) 524-5962.