Catching up with First Fridays Speakers: Simeon Bakunda (Growing Together)

Simeon Bakunda has dreamed of owning and operating his own farm since he arrived in Fargo from Zambia, Africa over a decade ago. 

When Simeon spoke at First Fridays in 2018, he relayed how he became part of the team at Growing Together Community Garden, eventually helping shape the then yet-to-be-built garden at Lutheran Social Services (LSS). He ended his talk enthusiastically sharing his dream of owning his own small farm. Simeon’s dream is starting to take shape. 

Since Simeon presented at First Fridays, he joined New Roots Farm Incubator in Dilworth, Minn. a program through the Northern Plains Sustainable Agricultural Society. The incubator program has given him access to land and equipment to keep working toward his dream and to provide locally grown produce.

Simeon shares his story at our inaugural First Fridays event in January 2018 [watch video here]

Farm incubators, as described on partnership4health.org, provide “affordable access to small parcels of land, equipment, training, and other resources in order to develop skills to launch a farm business.” PartnerSHIP 4 Health goes on to explain that starting a farm business can be overwhelming and expensive. Farm incubators can alleviate some of the obstacles by providing critical resources and serving as “a safety net for new beginning producers to get started in a farm business and build confidence, as well as to help build capacity for local producers to increase access to healthy local foods.”  

Relationships with growers and farmers in the community have helped prepare Simeon to cultivate his own plot at New Roots Farm. “Mentorship has been very crucial in helping me figure out how to perform many activities on my own plot at the New Roots Farm,” Simeon says. Such activities, he explains, could range from the timing of the short growing season to the care and tilling of the land. These friends and connections continue to support his dream of owning a small farm.

Head to the Red River Market on Saturdays and you’ll find Simeon selling the fruits (vegetables) of his labor. Selling at the Red River Market generates income, but also allows him to evaluate the produce market. He describes it as “a great opportunity to find out about the needs of our community in terms of fresh vegetables. I didn't have this opportunity during my first year as a member but it will help me choose which produce to focus on much more for the next year.” Providing food to the community is part of what drives his desire to farm. 

Simeon knows there are others who have a similar dream, and he suggests, “first connect with a local farmer or a community gardening group like Growing Together.” He added that especially for someone like him who is an immigrant that the connections are an important way to become part of the community and to learn about growing in this region.

Simeon hasn’t lost sight of his main goal, or the effect small farms can have both locally and globally. “I have confidence in myself and believe that someday I will have access to my own small land where I can grow the food I like and contribute to providing food to the local community and even beyond.”

Many of Simeon’s connections in the community have come from cultivating land and friendships through growing food. This MPR News article highlights a bit of his gardening journey that has led to shared harvests, shared meals, and a life shared with family and friends. We hope you’ll connect with Simeon at the market soon and enjoy the produce he has so lovingly grown!