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Nation of Islam Michigan Farm hosts agriculture seminar

By Starla Muhammad -Assistant Editor- | Last updated: Jul 31, 2015 - 4:20:27 PM

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‘Everything depends on the farm’

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Conference participants anxiously wait for the start of the Michigan Farm-Ag seminar in New Buffalo, Mich.

“The Honorable Elijah Muhammad said, ‘No people can be free with their mouth in the kitchen of another, particularly in the kitchen of our former slave masters and their children.’  As long as we do not own land, we are not going to be a productive people.  We will continue to be ‘a consumer nation.’  And as long as we are not respecting the profession of farming and the cultivation of land and producing of quality food, then our life, our health, our well-being is in the hands of our former slave masters and their children.” – The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan – “Farming is the Engine of Our National Life” from The Time and What Must Be Done, Pt. 36

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Photos: Haroon Rajaee
NEW BUFFALO, Mich. (FinalCall.com) - As hundreds of Muslims from around the country converged on the pristine, picturesque property of Muhammad’s Farm for a comprehensive agricultural seminar, it was evident to the men and women who enrolled, that this would be no ordinary weekend.  The excitement on the faces of both participants and farm staff was a reflection of the warmth and brightness of the sun that radiated throughout both days.

Participants ranged in age and skill level and included novice gardeners, owners of budding family farms, established urban gardeners and those armed with just a simple desire to learn how to grow food for their families and communities. But every attendee in the first Michigan Farm-Agricultural Workshop learned through hands on, interactive workshops. At the invitation of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, his wife Mother Khadijah Farrakhan, their eldest daughter Betsy Jean Farrakhan and the farm staff, the objective of each workshop was to help actualize the vision and mission of acquiring land so Black people can do something for themselves and end the overreliance and dependence on government for sustaining their every need.

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Participants harvested several vegetables including zucchini. Photo: Starla Muhammad
“Today’s visit here is the beginning for us trying to accomplish the goal of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan of 1,000 farmers. Insha’Allah (God Willing) we need tens of thousands of farmers for the plans that he has for us to move forward in the purchasing of land,” said Betsy Jean Farrakhan in her opening remarks on day one.

The amount of land owned by Blacks in the U.S. and the numbers of Black farmers has dwindled considerably over the years. In 1910 there were nearly one million Black farmers who owned upwards of 15–19 million acres of land. In 1920 Blacks owned almost 14 percent of the nation’s farms. But through deliberate and carefully orchestrated federal laws, integration into White society and other circumstances those numbers have declined. According to the 2012 Census of Agriculture Highlights, 90 percent of Black farmers lived in 12 southern states.

Today, Blacks are not a part of agricultural business in comparison to Whites explained Betsy Jean Farrakhan. “We’re trying to change that dynamic because less than one percent of us are in the Ag business so Insha’Allah we’re going to change that around,” she said.  

“We’re going to teach you how to grow, even out of a bucket so don’t even worry. Whatever your situation is, no matter how small or large the principles pretty much are the same and you’ll be able to use those techniques throughout.”

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Over the course of July 25-26, she and the hardworking and dedicated staff shared the science of farming and agriculture through a variety of accelerated courses that including hoop house construction, green housing, composting, vermi-composting, basic gardening, pressure and water bath canning, farm equipment, trucking, freight and shipping.  

Instructors with extensive training, expertise and background in a variety of agricultural and food science taught action-packed courses at work stations throughout the farm.

One of the most popular workshops was composting and vermi-composting. Instructors introduced a specialized technique of creating rich and toxic free soil to plant various types of organic and healthy produce. This particular process of creating soil was introduced by Will Allen of Growing Power, a sustainable agricultural non-profit organization that trains communities on affordable and safe ways to grow food, particularly in underserved, urban areas.

Composting uses decomposed organic matter such as discarded fruits and vegetables along with materials such as dried woodchips. Teams of brothers and sisters worked together in righteous competition to see what squad could fill the large wooden bins with compost first.

Participants toured the state of the art greenhouse which is incorporated with a computer operated weather system to maintain year around optimum temperatures. They helped transfer and plant seedlings into an outdoor garden area.

During his July 26 keynote address at the seminar, Min. Farrakhan, reiterated his call for 1,000 farmers and thanked his wife, daughter, farm staff, presenters and participants for the successful weekend. The crowd applauded and cheered loudly in appreciation for all they learned in such a short period of time.

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“Sharing this knowledge that she (Betsy Jean) has gained through trial and error, she put it all in that little book,” said Min. Farrakhan referring to a manual compiled for participants that contained information presented from the various workshops. “And that little book represents her trail of tears that brought her to where she is today so that you know, what you’ve learned today, you go now and you do what you saw done because you know you can do it,” said Min. Farrakhan.

“And what she wants to hear and I want to hear is how well you’re doing in creating good, wholesome food for yourself, your family, your community and then our nation,” he continued.

You have started on a great journey, the Minister told participants. “This is what God, Allah wants us to do and if you go back to the Genesis and the 36th lecture of The Time and What Must Be Done’, God wanted a man to till the ground.”

People talk down about farmers as a derogatory profession, Min. Farrakhan pointed out.  

“But all the scientists of great skill have to eat and if they don’t eat well to live longer, it cuts a short circuit in their growth and development of their science. Everything depends on the farm,” said Min. Farrakhan. “So we want you to be proud to be called a tiller of the soil.”

The acquisition of land is one key in this effort. Muhammad’s Economic Blueprint (www.economicblueprint.org), reintroduced by the Nation of Islam, is a program which only requires a nominal contribution of 35 cents a week by 16 million wage earning Blacks to begin purchasing land and creating industry.

Participants left with determined goals and plans to take what they learned and implement in their respective homes and communities back home.  Dr. Ridgely Muhammad, Student Minister of Agriculture for the Nation of Islam and Manager of the Nation of Islam’s 1,600 acre farm in Georgia told The Final Call he was happy to see the Muslims inspired to take the information they learned back home.

Agriculture was birthed out of the soul of Black people said Dr. Ridgely Muhammad.  “Now Sister Betsey Jean through the leadership of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan is bringing that love for the soil and for the land back into our people and to me that’s the most exciting thing about seeing these over 200 people, city people, out here learning again how to farm.”

Akeya Muhammad of Detroit said she does not have a garden back home but added that “the key word is yet.”  Before attending the farm seminar she purchased supplies to begin her personal garden.

“I was waiting to come here, so I can get some of the information and training so I can go back with some spirit and some confidence to start it,” she said after helping to harvest and pick some zucchini and other vegetables at the farm.

Coming out here, looking at the garden and being able to get in and being able to actually get into the soil and plant some things and get some of the things that have harvested, I have more than enough spirit and confidence now to be able to go back home and start that garden,” said Akeya Muhammad.

Kim Muhammad traveled from St. Louis, Missouri and currently has a garden in her backyard and attended the seminar because she wants to build her own hoop house to better extend the life of what she grows, especially during the winter months. She appreciated the hands-on experience she received in helping build one over the weekend on the farm.

“It’s really exciting because I know what to do,” said Kim Muhammad. “The only fear that I have is getting parts and the screw-gun operation but we’ve had some hands-on so I feel better about taking it on myself and doing what needs to be done in order to do something for myself.”

Look for more extensive coverage from the 2015 Michigan Farm-Agriculture Workshop in upcoming issues of The Final Call!