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Farmer Profile — Grace Mwanza — Never Thought She Would Pursue Farming

Grace Mwanza graduated from the New Entry Sustainable Farming Project (New Entry) Farm Business Planning Course in 2008, at which time she began her first US farm business enterprise. Grace is originally from Zambia, and has lived in the US since 1985.

Grace never imagined she would end up becoming a farmer, even though in many ways it appeared to be her destiny from the start. She grew up on a 100-acre farm operated by her parents and grand parents in Northwestern Zambia. Her parents grew staples such as beans, cabbage, onions, tomatoes and corn, which they delivered to local prisons and schools. Her Mom grew cut flowers for export. Though she grew up surrounded by her family's agriculture business, Grace never farmed herself until she discovered New Entry, 23 years after her arrival in the U.S. New Entry helps start-up farmers – primarily immigrants, refugees, and other socially-disadvantaged persons – to successfully begin a commercial farming enterprise.

In 2007, Grace learned about New Entry through a fellow student at nursing school named Nikki Makarutsa (originally from Zimbabwe). Nikki graduated from the New Entry Business Planning Course, and currently grows vegetables at a New Entry training site in Dracut, Massachusetts. The six-week business class prepares students for their first year of farm production and marketing by helping students to develop crop plans, cash flow projections, and market commitments. The course also requires students to create a business plan prior to graduation.

In the U.S., Grace got her first taste of locally grown African vegetables when Nikki brought fresh produce to class. Later, Nikki invited Grace to visit her farm in Dracut. Grace was captivated at the sight of the fresh, healthy, organic African produce thriving in Massachusetts on Nikki's plot. Grace decided that she wanted her children to understand that food is not "manufactured at the grocery store." Grace visited Nikki's farm again with her children and found that they were somewhat surprised to discover where food originates. Grace's fate was sealed when she witnessed the excitement of her children at the farm.

Grace applied to the New Entry training program and met with McKenzie Boekholder, New Entry's Technical Assistance Coordinator who teaches the class. McKenzie lived in Zambia for three years during her service as a Peace Corp Volunteer. While in Zambia, McKenzie learned to speak a remote Northwestern Zambian dialect called "Lunda." This dialect, spoken by only 2.6% of the Zambian population, just happens to be Grace's native language. McKenzie said "frankly, after leaving the Peace Corps, I never thought I'd have reason to say another word in Lunda, ever again." When Grace and McKenzie met, they quickly identified their common language, and Lunda words were flowing like water from a newly dug well. Grace's connection with New Entry had begun.

Grace currently grows vegetables on a 1/4 acre plot at Richardson's Dairy in Dracut, MA. She grows collard greens, corn, small eggplant ("impwa"), sweet potato greens, tomatoes, onions, green peppers, and hot peppers. Grace learned a lot during her first year farming in Massachusetts. She attempted to sell collard greens to the Lowell Farmers market through another New Entry farmer who regularly sells at the market. It turned out that most customers were not familiar with African vegetables such as collard greens, and sales were disappointing. Grace decided to establish her own markets by selling to colleagues at work and by distributing to local church communities. She began by setting up a market to sell her fresh greens outside a local African church. She couldn't believe the response – she sold out in less than 30 minutes. Once people discovered that she also grew the hard-kernel maize popular in Africa, customers drove to the farm to make their purchases.

In addition to selling through her own market channels, Grace plans to sell through the World PEAS Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program in 2009. The World PEAS CSA is a collaboration between multiple New Entry farmers who sell "shares" in the farm directly to the public. Customers receive 18 weekly distributions of fresh vegetables and fruit during the summer. For the 2009 World PEAS CSA, Grace will sell cucumbers, lettuce, sweet potatoes, tomatoes and eggplant.

Grace's biggest challenge is finding the time to devote to her farming enterprise. During her first year, Grace had no prior farming experience and a lot of farming questions. Though Grace generally knew where to go to find the answers, it was difficult for her to find time between work, school, and farming to research technical information. She hopes that the knowledge gained during her first year will help alleviate some of the challenges in subsequent years.

Grace and her husband (originally from Liberia) have four children, ages 7 to 24. Grace now enjoys a new connection with her children who help at the farm during the summer months. Though Grace feels that her children's enthusiasm for farming helped fuel her desire to pursue farming as a business, it can be difficult to transfer this enthusiasm into constructive action. Her children are often "more inspired to take summer trips to Canobie Lake Park than to work on the farm, and peer pressure can exert a lot of force." Grace has set up a regular schedule whereby her kids are expected to help out on the farm together from time to time.

Grace currently works as a Licensed Practical Nurse, but her goals extend far beyond her current position. After long consideration, Grace determined that there is "no good time" to take the courses required to pursue an RN degree. So, she decided to throw classes into the mix with all her other activities. On top of the 32 hour commitment to her LPN work, she also puts in 30 hours per week of class time toward her degree. She plans to graduate in 2010. Somehow she manages the workload.

Grace has accomplished what she never imagined she would – she has become a farmer. Who knows where her farming enterprise will lead? Perhaps in directions she never imagined. Her husband wants her to double the size of her plot this year, but Grace seems realistic about the need to grow slowly. "Even a small plot takes a lot of attention. The weeds, for example, require constant care. ... I'd really like to get my husband more involved."