FRESH CROP

Harvesting Hope

by Lynda Van Kuren photos by Logan Burke

This nonprofit farm produces more than food Y ou could say that farming is in MARI CARL FISHER’s blood. So is her passion for helping others. It’s a a food bank for Central and Eastern North Carolina, where she collaborated with grocery stores and farmers to get fresh and healthy food donated to those in need. Fisher moved back to Wilmington combination that impelled Fisher to found Rise Up Community Farm. in 2018 to marry her husband, who shared her vision. In 2019, Global River Church donated land for the enterprise,

Like any farm, Rise Up Community Fisher got nonprofit status for it, and Farm grows produce, but it’s so much Rise Up Community Farm was born. more than that. It also provides fresh True to her beliefs, Fisher grows only vegetables to the needy in the area and organic produce. She concentrates on supports local youth by helping them vegetables that people enjoy and that improve personal and job skills. grow well in Wilmington’s hot, humid

“Through Rise Up Community climate. Offerings include squash, toFarm, I want to plant hope in the commatoes, eggplant, peppers, sweet pomunity as we cultivate the land, educate tatoes, okra, collard greens, and butter and nourish neighbors in need, and beans. empower people to have meaningful Half of the farm’s produce is earlives,” says Fisher, who serves as the marked for the community’s needy, farm’s manager and executive director. which encompasses a larger population

Rise Up Community Farm is the culthan you might suspect. About 33,600 mination of Fisher’s background, work individuals in New Hanover County – experience, and dreams. When she including 8,000 children, or one of evcame to Wilmington in 2008 to study ery five children – are what Fisher calls environmental science at University food insecure. That is, they don’t know of North Carolina Wilmington, Fisher where their next meal will come from. already knew a lot about working the “I’ve always felt passionate about soil – information she gained firsthand seeing that everyone has access to fresh on her father’s farm in Virginia. Seeing produce, no matter where they are fithe impact organic farming had on the nancially,” says Fisher. community, Fisher decided to pursue it Fisher donates produce to the food as a career. pantry at Global River Church as well

After graduation, she worked for a as to food pantries throughout the nonprofit organic farm in Florida for area. Every week between eighty and three years. Her second job was with 110 cars collect food from the church’s

food pantry – up from sixty to seventy-five cars before COVID-19 shutdowns caused widespread unemployment.

Fisher sells the other half of her produce, flowers, and herbs, which can be ordered online or bought at the farm on Saturday mornings. The proceeds go into the farm and support its youth program.

The farm’s youth program consists of internships for students aged fourteen to seventeen. The interns, some of whom have experienced trauma or other hardships, get a chance to do something different and a safe place to be, Fisher says.

The students work at the farm for eight weeks and receive a small stipend.

They plant, weed, learn other agricultural skills, and sell the goods. Selling not only gives the interns valuable customer service skills, it also gives them ownership of their work, Fisher says. They see the continuum from planting seeds to providing people with food to eat.

Fisher also holds workshops for the students, at which they learn personal and career skills. Recent workshop topics included personal finance, public speaking, resume writing, and interviewing skills. The interns are also introduced to career options by professionals who work in a variety of fields.

“It’s such a joy to see someone you’ve

worked with be empowered, to see how much they’ve grown in just a year,” Fisher says.

Rise Up Community Farm is supported by a number of volunteers. In addition to its ten to fifteen regular volunteers, a number of groups, including students from UNCW and members of churches and other organizations, have lent a hand with gardening. Other volunteers make presentations or hold workshops.

Though it was established a mere year-and-a-half ago, Rise Up Community Farm has seen substantial growth. As the operation gets more efficient with its growing process, the farm is seeing

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an increase in food production and an improvement in its soil. Also, as people learn about the farm, more are volunteering.

For Fisher, seeing Rise Up Community Farm succeed on so many levels fills her soul.

“I feel so much joy seeing people get and be excited about fresh vegetables,” she says. “I’m so thankful to be doing this work.”

To make orders or to volunteer, go the Rise Up Community Farm website, riseupcommunityfarm.org. The farm is located at 4702 South College Road in Wilmington. W

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