Texas Farm & Home Magazine 2011
Growing Farmers at Home Sweet Farm
By Wayne Stewart
Photography by Christina Stewart
People from all over south central Texas come to work on the farm.
None of them get paid, but they all get something in return for the hard work they put into Brad and Jenny Stufflebeam’s Brenham farm.
“This is a great place for me to learn,” Kim Hatfield of Navasota admitted. “I can get experience growing organically and take the lessons I learn here and put them to work on our own farm.”
Carol Montgomery stands near the Stufflebeam’s horse-drawn wagon which has been pulled up to the loading dock at the Stufflebeam’s Home Sweet Farm, as she wipes her brow she admits she has completely different motives.
By Wayne Stewart
Photography by Christina Stewart
People from all over south central Texas come to work on the farm.
None of them get paid, but they all get something in return for the hard work they put into Brad and Jenny Stufflebeam’s Brenham farm.
“This is a great place for me to learn,” Kim Hatfield of Navasota admitted. “I can get experience growing organically and take the lessons I learn here and put them to work on our own farm.”
Carol Montgomery stands near the Stufflebeam’s horse-drawn wagon which has been pulled up to the loading dock at the Stufflebeam’s Home Sweet Farm, as she wipes her brow she admits she has completely different motives.
“I quit having my own garden, but I still love the work,” the 81-year-old Mrs. Montgomery said. “Almost all of my food comes from here and they let me come here and work for it.”
Volunteers are a large part of Home Sweet Farm, they get a full share of vegetables in return for their work, but it means so much more to the Stufflebeams than a free source of labor.
“This really is community supported agriculture,” Mr. Stufflebeam said. “We are not here to just grow and sell vegetables, we want to help people get started at their own farms and encourage other farmers to get out and put the land to work for themselves.”
Even before starting Home Sweet Farm 7 years ago Mr. Stufflebeam was involved in agriculture, working as a horticulturist for 20 years. Before coming to Washington County the Stufflebeams owned and operated the first 100 percent organic nursery in Collin County. He also served as operations director for World Hunger Relief, located in Elm Mott, with much of the work done through internships and volunteer programs.
After a while of doing this Mr. Stufflebeam decided he wanted to make a living on the farm and at the same time fulfill a need out there for fresh, nutrient-dense vegetables which are usually not found in grocery stores. Through all of that work people have come to the Stufflebeam family to get food and to learn.
There are two young men who are regulars at Home Sweet Farm, Caleb Preston of Waller and William Amelang of Burton.
“We’re here learning how to farm,” grunted Caleb as he loaded vegetable-laden boxes into an awaiting delivery van.
The lessons Caleb and William learn at the farm, everything from irrigation techniques, to storage, delivery and marketing will help make future endeavors more successful. As a past president of the Texas Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association Mr. Stufflebeam worked to get young people more involved in farming and provide them with enough practical information to get started with a farm of their own.
Volunteers are a large part of Home Sweet Farm, they get a full share of vegetables in return for their work, but it means so much more to the Stufflebeams than a free source of labor.
“This really is community supported agriculture,” Mr. Stufflebeam said. “We are not here to just grow and sell vegetables, we want to help people get started at their own farms and encourage other farmers to get out and put the land to work for themselves.”
Even before starting Home Sweet Farm 7 years ago Mr. Stufflebeam was involved in agriculture, working as a horticulturist for 20 years. Before coming to Washington County the Stufflebeams owned and operated the first 100 percent organic nursery in Collin County. He also served as operations director for World Hunger Relief, located in Elm Mott, with much of the work done through internships and volunteer programs.
After a while of doing this Mr. Stufflebeam decided he wanted to make a living on the farm and at the same time fulfill a need out there for fresh, nutrient-dense vegetables which are usually not found in grocery stores. Through all of that work people have come to the Stufflebeam family to get food and to learn.
There are two young men who are regulars at Home Sweet Farm, Caleb Preston of Waller and William Amelang of Burton.
“We’re here learning how to farm,” grunted Caleb as he loaded vegetable-laden boxes into an awaiting delivery van.
The lessons Caleb and William learn at the farm, everything from irrigation techniques, to storage, delivery and marketing will help make future endeavors more successful. As a past president of the Texas Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association Mr. Stufflebeam worked to get young people more involved in farming and provide them with enough practical information to get started with a farm of their own.
“You can’t look at them as competition,” Mr. Stufflebeam said. “If we can get enough people in a community together and farming then we can work together to provide people with the produce and products they need.”
Many were skeptical when Mr. Stufflebeam and his family moved to their Washington County farm, but as the years have passed people have learned there are other things to do with land than grow hay and raise cattle. “A lot of times you have to lead by example,” Mr. Stufflebeam said. “Farmers and ranchers are a skeptical lot to begin with, but people need to see there are different ways. “Most people can’t buy large tracts of land, so they will go out and buy 10 or 20-acre ranchettes and they need to find intensive programs like this to help make smaller pieces of land more profitable and for the landowner to be able to make a comfortable living.” It’s been a long row to hoe to make that living. Seven years ago the Stufflebeam’s had 26 shareholders in their CSA operation. Now, they have 250 – most from the Houston area. A van loaded with fresh vegetables heads out twice a week to 12 different drop locations around the Houston suburbs. “We have to sort everything and load it up,” Jenny Stufflebeam said. “When people get their shares the vegetables were usually picked that day. It’s not always easy, but we try to offer our customers a lot of different items.” |
Shareholders get a wide variety of vegetables, everything from potatoes, squash, zucchini, tomatoes, greens, cabbage, beets, okra and many other items as they come into season.
“After a while our customers begin to see this as their farm,” Mr. Stufflebeam said. “We like it like that. They have confidence in us and where their food comes from.”
Plus, for those who volunteer their time, spending a few hours a day on the farm can melt away the worries from the outside world.
“Most of the time I work as a mediation attorney,” 81-year-old Harold Graham said. “Yesterday I was working a divorce mediation between a couple, and today I’m out here working on the farm – it’s a pleasant diversion,” he added, even after digging potatoes on a 90-degree day.
“After a while our customers begin to see this as their farm,” Mr. Stufflebeam said. “We like it like that. They have confidence in us and where their food comes from.”
Plus, for those who volunteer their time, spending a few hours a day on the farm can melt away the worries from the outside world.
“Most of the time I work as a mediation attorney,” 81-year-old Harold Graham said. “Yesterday I was working a divorce mediation between a couple, and today I’m out here working on the farm – it’s a pleasant diversion,” he added, even after digging potatoes on a 90-degree day.