Garden-Lou Visits Confluence Farms

Some people complain about how things are–then there are the people who stand up and do something about it. Sometimes these people are right under your nose … or around the corner.

In Florissant, traffic zooms past the old farmstead every day-most drivers probably pay little or no attention as they pass. Confluence Farms sits on 240 acres of gently rolling farmland that overlooks the Missouri River. Still, the impact the farm has on the St. Louis community is mountainous, and the people farming there are mountain-moving dynamos.

Ja’Juan Petty, Earnest Wills, Tyrean Lewis, and Cobrum

Tyrean Lewis, the founder and CEO of Heru Urban Farming, has been a force on the St. Louis food scene since he called out the St. Louis “Food Apartheid,” describing the purposeful practices of local grocery chains that stock wealthier neighborhoods like Clayton or West County with fresh produce, etc. but not the poorer, black neighborhoods in North City. In these neighborhoods, there isn’t any choice other than to eat unhealthy foods. It’s a nationwide problem in major cities and only adds to the racial injustice issues in St. Louis.

The name “Heru” means King Liberator, and Tyrean “Heru” Lewis started liberating his community from the food apartheid in 2017. “We started with three lots totaling 10,612 sq ft. Now we farm 3 acres. The first year was a huge success. We provided healthy food choices for a community within the City of St. Louis that has 33% of its population living below the poverty line.” All the produce is organically grown in ways that optimize sustainability, with respect to nature and traditional practices. “Being a 5th generation farmer motivated me to make a real change in my community’s access to quality and healthy food.”

Heru Urban Farms grows a varied profusion of produce, from tomatoes, okra, and bok choy to basil, elderberry, and sage. 3600 lbs. of watermelons alone were produced this year. Another 1500 pounds were unfortunately destroyed. Such is the nature of growing crops: If it isn’t torrential downpours, it’s skunks eating the fruit. Hard work and dealing with nature are constants in urban farming. Tyrean started farming alone; now, he has family members and volunteers lending a hand for the cause. “It’s also hard to balance giving versus selling. You want to help everyone.”

Tyrean demonstrating one of his favorite garden tools, a wheel hoe. Another favorite is the VCS walk-behind tractor. (See video)

Tyrean has a bachelor’s in education and a master’s in management but considers himself a 5th generation soul farmer first. His son and daughter continue the family tradition by helping out when not in school. In the winter, the work doesn’t stop, and Tyrean is involved in educational outreach.

Leah Lee is the founder and CEO of the non-profit, Growing Food Growing People, whose mission is to grow food and people through healthy food accessibility and reconnecting to the soil. Leah is a Social Justice/Food Justice Advocate. She introduces community members to wellness through innovation-it’s not just the food, it’s the soil, the art, the music. Leah empowers women on all levels to take charge and have the confidence to obtain wellness on all levels, starting with one step–gardening.

I found Leah in her labyrinth-shaped garden at the farm, cutting the produce, herbs, and flowers she gives away to the community on Tuesday evenings in the West Cabanne Place Neighborhood. The garden space emits an energy that revolves around Leah’s exuberant love of life and her gift to help others see and feel what she does. The sight and scents of flowers and herbs swirl around the labyrinth’s center, while music sets the tone for a Zen-like experience while harvesting.

Leah started gardening after her father’s death when she discovered his apartment was full of plants she didn’t want to let die. Her neighbor, who grew food on her patio, inspired her to start growing in containers.

“Growing food in containers is something anyone can do,” she says. “Even on your front porch.” She grows food in any container she can drill holes in or in raised beds at home. But the garden in North County is unique since its labyrinth shape is also used to meditate or contemplate as one walks between the spiral-shaped beds full of herbs, zinnias, and produce.

Leah’s favorite gardening tool is her trusty soil knife. “I use that for everything!”

Leah and the others farming at Confluence Farms benefit from rich volunteer sources. “People want to be part of something good.”

Keeping up with gardening and connecting with people isn’t a hobby; it’s a full-time job and a calling. “My community needs me,” Leah says. “There is no other way for me.”

Want to help out? Attend the Black and Gold Fundraising Dinner on September 10th! You can buy tickets online through the Eventbrite link below;

1st Annual Urban Farmers Gala Tickets, Sat, Sep 10, 2022 at 6:00 PM | Eventbrite

The mission of Confluence Farms is to “Grow produce for communities with limited access to fresh food, create opportunities for community engagement around access to the natural world, and regenerate the land through sustainable farming practices.” It’s a hub where organizations or individuals can farm and share resources on the rich loess soil of North St. Louis County-some of the finest agricultural land anywhere on earth. Land to farm on is one thing, but it takes people to make the difference and the funding to help those people.

Confluence Farms is hosting a fundraising gala on September 10th at the farm overlooking the Missouri River. Tickets are $150, or $1500 for a table of ten.