Earthshare Gardens

Submitted by: Terrell Rabalais - Natural Resources Specialist (NRCS)

Last month, Terrell Rabalais arranged a visit for us to Earthshare Gardens in Scott, Louisiana. Earthshare is a non-profit organization focused on supporting the Acadiana area with locally and sustainably grown fresh produce. Board member, Chris Adams, showed us around and gave us some history of Earthshare. As he tells it, about 20 years ago, he and several like-minded classmates studying Renewable Resources at University of Louisiana at Lafayette (ULL) wanted to give back to the local community in a tangible way. After a couple of years of discussions and obtaining the space to start a garden in 2005, Earthshare Gardens transformed from an idea into a reality.

Since then, Earthshare has moved and grown. Currently on a 4 acre plot in Scott, Earthshare Gardens consists of a successful Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program and incubator space for small-scale local farmers looking to scale up their operations. The CSA offers participants a weekly supply of fresh produce and the opportunity to help out on the farm and learn about local and sustainable food production. The incubator currently houses a local producer’s ginger and turmeric operation. The L4S Farms operation has expanded to 3 of the 50’x50’ plots since he’s been at Earthshare Gardens and Travonic Lively says they just bought land and are about to expand to an independent 2 acre farm nearby.

So… what’s the connection with NRCS? It turns out that one of Chris’ classmates back at ULL was Mitch Mouton, Louisiana NRCS State Soil Scientist. Mitch and Brandon Waltman, Assistant State Soil Scientist, have been helping Earthshare by offering technical assistance to improve soil health on the farm. And, Chris has been working with Terrell Rabalais in the local NRCS office to put in an application for financial assistance to address natural resource concerns and boost his ongoing voluntary conservation.

Earthshare Gardens is committed to exclusively using sustainable and organic production methods and holds soil health as the foundation of their work.  To that end, they make extensive use of hay and straw mulch around the crops, they keep the soil covered between seasons with cover crops or tarps, and they apply regular topdressings of compost. Additionally, their farm practices encourage minimal tillage, with a given area receiving 0-2 tillage events per year.  Their annual NRCS Soil Health Assessment consistently shows the benefits of these practices, with increasing organic content, good soil structure, reduced soil bulk density and healthy soil biology.  Upcoming participation in NRCS conservation programs are expected to expand these current sustainable agricultural practices and Chris expressed excitement and anticipation for this new opportunity.

After a recent visit to Earthshare to conduct soil testing, Brandon Waltman remarked on the improvements they've made in the soil quality. “We always look forward to conducting our annual soil health assessments for Chris and Earthshare Gardens. This will be our 7th year doing these assessments and it’s always exciting to see the upward trends in the soil health indicators we assess year after year. The soil health management system that Chris and his producers have implemented on their garden plots have significantly improved not only soil health, but also plant health and vigor. It’s amazing to see how improving soil health in urban gardens equates to healthier, better tasting produce for the local community!”

Chris has recently been named an Associate Board Member of the Lafayette Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD). Mr. Ron Duhon, Chairman of the Lafayette SWCD, joined us during our visit to Earthshare Gardens. He’s grateful to have Chris involved in the District to share his perspective as a small-scale, sustainable producer. Ron said he’s seen an evolution of the farming community in the Lafayette area over the years and has noticed that the small-scale and urban movement is growing in the area. The District wants to make sure that all producers have representation on the board and has found Chris’ input helpful.

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Are you interested in learning more about how NRCS can help improve your operation through voluntary conservation? Reach out to your local office to find out more. 

Looking to get involved in your local Soil and Water Conservation District? Find more information here: https://www.ldaf.la.gov/land/conservation/soil-and-water-conservation-districts.