The Global Meaningful Travel Map

Plant It Forward

Plant It Forward

Explore urban organic farms, meet New American farmers, and enjoy farm-to-table meals while supporting local food systems in Houston.

***We have 4 main farm locations:
Westbury Farm: https://g.co/kgs/7Hf1vLY

Fondren Farm: https://g.co/kgs/fwu9ZiG

Montrose Farm (closing in June 2025): https://g.co/kgs/TKH7Uzo

Blossom Heights Farm: https://g.co/kgs/1X6TioB

OUR EXPERIENCES
Visitors can tour our farms and facilities, meet members of our New American farmer network, volunteer on our urban organic farms by completing farm-related tasks with a farm-to-table meal afterwards or support our Food Hub by packing our produce so it can feed the communities that need it most.

ABOUT US
We are proud to be part of a national movement to rejuvenate local food systems. At Plant It Forward (PIF), we work with independent, professional farmers with refugee backgrounds to grow and distribute fresh produce throughout our community.

Our model combines non-profit and for-profit business structures to advance local agriculture within the Houston region. Each small for-profit business in the PIF network is owned and operated by a New American farmer. As a non-profit organization, PIF seeks to leverage the benefits of working as a cooperative network by providing targeted services to partnering farms, including access to land, agricultural and business mentorship, and access to sales opportunities.

Our work benefits not only PIF’s New American farmers, but also a wider network of regional growers. In particular, the PIF Food Hub serves as a sales outlet for over a dozen regional farms and provides critical marketing services that grow the viability of small farm businesses.

OUR IMPACT
PIF was founded in 2011 by a family of philanthropic entrepreneurs — the O’Donnells — who wanted to enable the similarly entrepreneurial ambitions of refugees being resettled in Houston. Refugees with agricultural backgrounds are resettled here with few options for finding meaningful, dignified work that utilizes their crucial skill sets. In collaboration with Catholic Charities’ local refugee resettlement office and Urban Harvest, the family worked with a group of skilled Congolese refugees to deliberately craft an urban market farming project.

By 2012, the first round of PIF urban farming training began, lasting one year. By 2015, there were nine farmers each earning a living by managing their own farming enterprise on approximately one-half acre each. In 2016 we were honored to be featured on Anthony Bourdain’s show, ‘Parts Unknown: Houston.’

Today, we have 13 farmers operating on eight (8) farms within the PIF network, and two (2) additional PIF Alumni Farmers who own an independent farming partnership. We are actively working to increase farming opportunities for New Americans in the coming years.

DETAILS
To learn more, contact: info@plantitforward.farm

What are your minimum and maximum group sizes?
5-50

Do you require visitors to pre-book?
Yes

Do you have group rates?
Yes

Do you pay commissions to travel advisors?
No

What languages do you offer your services in?
English, but translation services could be arranged if notified ahead of booking.

When are you open?
Monday - Friday: 9am - 4pm, Saturdays/Sundays: available by appointment/booking only. We tend to wind down visits in August due to the intense heat and to give our farmer network time to prepare for the fall season.

What accommodations do you make for people living with disabilities?
We can adjust volunteering tasks and event/presentation flows to accommodate the needs of our visitors. However, prior notice is required ahead of booking via email to info@plantitforward.farm.