Cultivating Resilience in St. Thomas: Water, Stewardship & Community

When communities come together to support one another, amazing things happen. We are bursting with gratitude as we look back on our recent Irrigation Workshop and Farm Tour at the Bordeaux Farmer’s Market in St. Thomas sponsored by Winston County Self Help Cooperative and Natural Resource Conservation Service.

This incredibly impactful 2-day workshop held on June 17 & 18 was a true team effort. Black Sustainability, Inc. (BSI) had the absolute honor of collaborating with We Grow Food, Inc. and Eco-PARADIGM to bring this event to life. Right now, the U.S. Virgin Islands are facing a serious drought. Seeing this dry spell firsthand reminded all of us why helping our local farms collect, store, and protect their water supply is so incredibly urgent.

Seeing the Impact of the Drought Firsthand

We started our day with a tour of several local farms to see how the dry weather is affecting the land and crops. As we toured these farms, the effects of the ongoing drought in the U.S. Virgin Islands were impossible to ignore. Dry soils, stressed crops, iguana/deer pressure and dwindling water supplies painted a sobering picture of the challenges facing island agriculture. Meeting the farmers on their own land gave us a true understanding of what they are up against.

Unlike many mainland communities, island farmers cannot easily access additional water infrastructure when dry periods intensify. Every gallon matters. Every rain event matters. Every conservation strategy matters. On an island, you can't just pipe in more water when a dry spell hits. Finding reliable ways to catch rainwater, store it safely, and distribute it to plants is exactly what our farmers need to keep their businesses thriving and keep fresh food on our tables.

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Blending Ancestral Wisdom with Modern Support: BSI & NRCS

One of the most powerful moments of the workshop was looking at how traditional farming can work hand-in-hand with modern government resources.

Led by BSI, we talked about Afroindigenous farming practices, natural ways of working with the earth that automatically align with modern eco-friendly farming. To make sure our farmers have all the support they deserve, BSI showed how these beautiful cultural practices connect directly to help from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).

Specifically, the training mapped these practices to NRCS Conservation Practice Standards for Irrigation Water Management (Code 449) and Microirrigation (Code 441), which cover smart drip systems and soil moisture monitoring. We broke down the confusing government paperwork so both veteran and brand-new farmers can easily understand how to get federal funding and technical support to protect their land, all while keeping their connection to ancestral techniques alive.

Hands-On: Setting Up Irrigation

We didn't just want to talk about ideas; we wanted to build things together! We are so thankful to the brilliant technical partners at Eco-PARADIGM, who worked alongside We Grow Food, Inc. for the hands-on portion of the workshop.

On day one BSI set up a table of the various components of an irrigation system and EP and WGF reviewed with attendees how to properly size and select your system to fit the needs of your farm. On the second day, we walked through a live installation of irrigation equipment, giving farmers practical tools they can use right away to save every drop of water:

• Catching Rainwater: Simple ways to collect as much rain as possible from roofs and existing structures.

• Safe Water Storage: Setting up tanks and containers that keep water clean and prevent it from evaporating in the heat.

• Smart Watering (Drip Irrigation): Using specialized hoses to drip water right at the roots of the plants, cutting down on waste and saving money.

Rooted in Community: A Big Thank You to We Grow Food, Inc.

Great tools mean nothing without great community partners. We owe a massive thank you to We Grow Food, Inc. Their deep roots in St. Thomas made this whole event and our experience possible.

They welcomed our team with so much love and hospitality. To wrap up two beautiful days, we got to enjoy a delicious spread of fresh fruits, their signature WGF Guinness Mango and vegetables grown right here by local hands. It was the perfect reminder of what these amazing farms can achieve when they have the right resources and infrastructure behind them.

Looking Ahead with Grateful Hearts

This workshop was a huge step forward in making our agricultural community stronger and more resilient to unpredictable weather!

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you to our partners Eco-PARADIGM for sharing their technical skills, to We Grow Food, Inc. for their incredible partnership and leadership, and to the resilient farmers of St. Thomas for opening up their land, sharing their time, and exchanging wisdom. We are so proud to walk this path with you!

Shout out to the farmers and their resilient farming practices - please go visit AND support (BUY DIRECT) if you are visiting St. Thomas:

Organic West Farm

We drove to the West End of St. Thomas and met with farmer Wade. He is a well-known local organic farmer and beekeeper who cultivates produce, raises livestock, and harvests local honey. 

At his Newhorn Hut location, we had an amazing breakfast, tasted some of the sweetest mangoes, drank 2 gallons of his passionfruit mango juice, saw his five time alive cow and got a chance for the youth on the tour to see chickens and ducks, learn proper handling and care. Wade is nown for his sustainable agricultural practices, such as capturing and safely relocating nuisance beehives, and growing a variety of natural crops in the Estate Dorothea area. Full Blog Post on Farmer Wade (Alphonso Wade III) HERE

Camp Umoja

This youth centered space at the Mandal camp grounds is a gem for cultural, agricultural education and an experience of a lifetime for ALL ages. Our intergenerational group ranged from 1 year old to 65 years young and we truly enjoyed our time!

The committed owners and operators, Justin and Anna Francis have a beautiful terrace farm and educational center that was significantly impacted by hurricanes and they are rebuilding bit by bit. They took a day to host, feed us a delicious Ital meal with fresh cashew fruit juice, sorrel and took us kayaking/boogey boarding and immersed us in learning.

Youth educators headed to St. Thomas and funders should set sights on supporting their operation. We will be back. FULL BLOG POST HERE

Ras Alpha's Farm

From the qinnep (often spelled guinep or quenepa - a small, sweet-and-tangy Caribbean fruit), to the gourd, we saw it all on this farm! Ras Alpha is preparing for water catchment and has used heavy equipment to navigate Rock City's soil for sustainable farming READ FULL BLOG POST HERE

Mother Nature Farm

We had the absolute pleasure meeting the Bordeaux Agricultural Fair Farmer of the Year, Charles "Selah" Nurse, and touring his truly magnificent labor of love aka his farm. With irrigation set up on a steep slope and meticulously hand laid terraced farm plots, one is left in awe, admiration and love after this farm tour. Read more about his farm and our experience HERE.

Que Sera Farms

Farming is political and advocating for change is what Sister Shelli Brin is doing on her farm. Shhe has been a champion testifying publicly and celebrating 2026 UN Year of the Woman Farmer. READ MORE ON OUR VISIT TO THIS WOMAN OWNED FARM HERE