June 30, 2021 • 15 mins
In this summer bonus episode, we’re celebrating Pride and speaking with Jayne Henson, founder of TransGenerational Farm in New York. Our host Mangesh Hattikudur learns about Jayne’s journey to starting her own farm and how she has made it her mission to create a safe space for the LGBTQ community in agriculture and grow produce through “responsible regenerative practices.” You can follow TransGenerational Farm on Instagram @transgenerationalfarm for more updates.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Hey there, I'm to get their co host of Part
Time Genius, one of the founders of mental philosophy, and
this is Humans Growing Stuff, a collaboration from My Heart
Radio and your friends at Miracle Grow. Our goal is
to make this the most human show about plants that
you'll ever listen to, and along the way, we'll be
sharing inspiring stories, tips and tricks to nurture your plant addiction,
(00:26):
and just enough science to make you sound like an expert.
We are on summer break right now, but the truth
is my producer Molly and I can't stop our own
plant addictions, so we are bringing you some sunny mini
episodes to enjoy before we return with a full season.
Throughout the summer, we'll be dropping incredible stories from growers,
(00:48):
fund advice we get from experts, and we'll even be
bringing you along on our field trips as we visit
rooftop gardens and plant nurseries and community gardens. And we're
even going to interview some of the sheep roaming around
Governor's Island, which I am so excited for. But in
today's bonus episode, we are celebrating Pride with a special
(01:08):
interview with Jane Henson Jane is the founder of Transgenerational
Farm in the Hudson Valley in New York, and she's
made at her mission there to connect LGBTQ folks to
food and agriculture and to carve out a space in
rural communities. I wanted to learn more about Jane's journey
from watching soybeans grow in rural Kansas to finding comfort
(01:32):
in New York City, to starting a farm in the
Northeast for people often ostracized from farming and agriculture, and
to create access to healthy, organic produce for those who
are food and secure. So I gave Jane Cole, Hey,
(01:59):
j and are you there. Hi, Yeah, I'm here. It's
so nice to be chatting with you. I feel like
we've been reading up on what you're doing and and
it's just exciting to have you on this program. Oh great, Yeah,
I'm happy to be here. I'm a big fan of
the show. Well, one of the things I wanted to
start by asking was I know that you grew up
in rural Kansas, and I think did some work on
(02:21):
a family farm, and we were wondering, what are your
earliest memories or moments that you enjoyed growing or caring
for plants. Uh. Yeah, So my my family is an
agriculture family. My grandparents, UM had a big conventional farm
back in Kansas. Uh. And I remember when I was
(02:41):
helping out on the farm. I didn't really start helping
out there until I was about a sophomore in college. UM,
and just kind of like after you know, planting a
field of like soybeans, and then a rain would come
and you look out and what once was just like
(03:02):
dirt was now suddenly all these like perfect rows of green,
little babies like coming up out of the soil. I
think was the first time that that something like that
really started to feel really magical. You know, it's like
just you know that that kind of instant transformation. Um.
And then just watching watching those things mature and grow. So,
(03:26):
I know there was a period where you kind of
stepped away from farming, and then it seems like you
got pulled back into it. So what is it that
drew you back to the land. So I I left farming. Um,
I'm I'm a transgender woman. And after I transitioned, UM,
you know, farming and rural life it just really didn't
feel like the kind of thing that a person like
(03:48):
me had any kind of future in and UM, so
I I left Kansas for New York City. UM and
I started working in various nonprofits in different social justice issues,
which was something I had kind of gotten started with
in college, doing different activism around HIV, UM work and
(04:08):
health access, and so I started UM started doing that,
and then kind of moved around to different nonprofits, working
in HIV work and then working in UM with homeless
LGBT youth. And then I started working with an organization
called God's Love. We Deliver and they deliver UM. Yeah,
(04:29):
so they deliver fresh or they deliver frozen meals to
clients living with HIV and AIDS, and one of their
programs that they have is called Food Is Medicine. And
I remember, UM, you know, just thinking about that and
thinking about how access to food is so important for
so many, so many people, UM in terms of just
(04:50):
living healthy lives. And I was also just really kind
of starting to, UM, you know, be very discontent in
the city and really starting to realize that, UM, I'm
not a city girl, and and so and I had
gotten it. Also worked for Growing Ycy for a while
doing their Fresh food Box food box program, which is
(05:13):
a food Access program UM, and that really kind of
that kind of seemed like a nexus of all of
these different activists projects that I was involved in and
really realizing that something that connected all of these was
access to fresh, healthy food. And so you were at
(05:35):
Growing y C. When did you decide to start your
farm transgenerational farm? Yeah, so okay, I was that Growing
oi CY and um, that's when kind of this this
passion for wanting to get back into agriculture, um, move
out of the city and and start growing again really happened.
(05:55):
And I did the farm Beginnings program through growing ysy
would just like a farm business planning program and then um,
you know, but I was it seemed like an impossible question,
right because I was like, well, how do I go
from being you know, paycheck to paycheck renting in the
city to somehow having access to land and knowledge and
(06:21):
all this stuff and start a farm? Like how do
I do that? Like? I don't it, you know, it
seemed right. So I started like looking around and looking
at different internships or things like that, and what I
found I founded this program called the Hudson Valley Farm
Hub and at the time they were doing a program
called the pro farmer training program they were offering. It
(06:44):
was kind of like a work study program. So I
would work on their They have a thirty acre vegetable farm,
UM and so we would go we would work on
the farm. But there was also a very large education
component to it where we would learn about different or
gain nick sustainable, biodynamic, regenerative farming practices. So I did
(07:06):
that program, and in my third year there, UM I
started my own farm business. With the support of the
farm hub, I found some local folks who had some
land that they were At first it kind of started
as maybe like a UM a mentorship or partnership thing
on land with them, and and then they were like,
(07:28):
well what if, like how would you feel about just
starting a farm here? And I was like, okay, Like sure, UM,
I guess I'll do that. So I love that story
in the beginning that we were talking about the um
you know, seeing this field of soybean sort of slowly
blue being or or coming off, and and UM, I'm curious,
(07:50):
but what's the most satisfying thing for you about growing now? Now?
It's um. It's so every time I go to market,
I put out a sample tray of my cherry tomatoes. Um.
And they basically sell themselves at that point. And just
seeing someone pick up a cherry tomato put it in
their mouth and just seeing their eyes lighten up, um.
(08:13):
And and just that expression of total like awe at
that flavor and just that total like enjoyment from that food. Um.
That to me is the real That's where the real
magic happens, is when the things that you grow turn
themselves into nourishment for people in the community. Um. And
(08:33):
I've I've had you know, cs A customers send me
pictures of you know, like the sandwich that they're making
that has my greens on it, and they're like, I
had such a bad day, but these greens are so
good and and that's that's the total reward right there. Um.
And that to me, that's that's the whole reason why
I started doing this, is because I wanted to grow
(08:55):
food for people. Yeah. That delight of someone actually take
easting a tomato in the right way right like that
that it's so joyous and and I guess secretly nutritional.
So let's talk about the mission of transgenerational farm men
and why it's so important in today's world. Yeah, So,
(09:16):
the mission of the farm. Well, the farm has a
lot of missions, UM, but one of the main kind
of like driving things behind the farm is is really
this idea of connecting l g B t Q folks
to land, to rural space, to agriculture and to food UM.
(09:36):
And I think that that's just so important because I
think a lot of people have stories very similar to mine,
where you know, a lot of folks started in a
small rural town, UM come out feel that that place
is just either unsafe or somewhere where they don't have
a future or they just don't see themselves reflected um
(09:58):
in the area and in the culture, and just feeling
like it's not a place for them. And I know
that's certainly how I felt, and that led me, you know,
you know, to to leave, to leave rural life, to
leave Kansas. And I think that it's not only a
detriment to those of us who feel like we have
to leave, but I also feel like it's a detriment
to those communities. UM. So the farm really, you know,
(10:24):
I have this this idea of really making it a
place for for l g B t Q folks. UM.
You know, we do things like our garlic planting party.
I really want to have plans to do more community
centered events and farming immersions, and also just having it
known that it's a place that exists for them and
(10:49):
um yeah, and to pass on that knowledge, to pass
on you know, those nourishing vibes and food to two
folks who often feel ex who did um by just
real life and agriculture in general. So, Jane, one of
the things we think about is like, you know, you're
growing on so much space and and and multiple acres,
(11:11):
But what is one of the reasons that someone should
start growing in their own backyard. I think that that
growing food for yourself. Um, It just creates this whole
new thankfulness and gratitude for the earth, for the things
around you, and for yourself. Um. It really truly feels
(11:34):
like magic when you put a seed in the ground
and you know, watch it grow and then have it
become a meal and something that can sustain you. I
get so much enjoyment out of being able to, you know,
take my focus from the larger macro view of all
the things that are flying at me all the time
(11:56):
and just focus, you know, like when I'm pruning tomatoes
or I'm pruning cube brs and just focus on this
one plant and looking at like, what are the parts
of it? What am I trying to you know, when
I trying to foster in this plant? And how am
I going to do that? And um, when you do
that and you you kind of like sit with that
and you do that over and over and work towards it,
(12:17):
and you see that work. Uh, it's it's reflected right
in front of you, right Like you can see that
plant flourish, you can see that plant grow, you can
reap the benefits of it, and it's just a great
way of having a very tangible experience with you know,
the earth that we're on. And it just brings home
all of these, um, all these ideas about how like
(12:39):
the earth is the it's the thing that sustains us, right,
like all of our food comes from the earth. And
when you become a direct link in that, it opens
up just a whole new world of just like connection
and gratitude. So what is your vision for the future
(13:00):
of you know, not just agriculture, but more growing and
gardening culture. Yeah, um, I think I think my vision
for for agriculture and growing culture is for people to
be aware that, um, you know, diverse people exist in
(13:24):
these spaces, and not just that we exist in these spaces,
but there were that were important in these spaces. And
I'm really I'm really invested in this idea of like
what can trans people, queer people, and like CIS gender
people share with one another, right, like what are the
things that we can learn from each other? Um? And
(13:46):
and really embracing that and opening up to that and
realizing that it's important. Um. I would love to just
seem more LGBT folks in farming. UM. I would love
of for you know, like keynote speakers to know that
it's not okay to make trans jokes during their address
(14:06):
at at farming conferences. UM. I think just like a
more diverse uh, just more diverse like representation in in
who's growing and what we're doing in acknowledgement that it's
not just about seeing different people, but that it's important, right,
(14:27):
Like diversity is important. Diversity breed sustainability, um And that
the more diverse we can make agriculture and gardening culture,
the more relevant it will be across time and space,
and the more longevity it will have. Yeah, well, what
you're doing really is so important and and thank you
(14:49):
for sharing all of that and for being on this
program with us. I really appreciate it. Yeah, thank you,
Thank you so much. I want to thank Jane Henson
again for sharing our story with is. To learn more
about Transgenerational Farm and it's c s A visit Transgenerational
dash farm dot com. That's Transgenerational dash farm dot com.
(15:12):
You can also follow the farm on Instagram for more
updates at Transgenerational Farm. That's it for today's bonus episode,
but check here soon for more bonus episodes this summer.
And don't forget no matter what season it is or
where you're at in your gardening journey, there's some incredible
resources waiting for you on the Miracle Grow website. Humans
(15:32):
Growing Stuff is a collaboration from I Heart Radio and
your friends at Miracle Grow. Our show is written and
produced by Molly Sosha and me together. Thank you so
much for listening.
Hey there, I'm to get their co host of Part
Time Genius, one of the founders of mental philosophy, and
this is Humans Growing Stuff, a collaboration from My Heart
Radio and your friends at Miracle Grow. Our goal is
to make this the most human show about plants that
you'll ever listen to, and along the way, we'll be
sharing inspiring stories, tips and tricks to nurture your plant addiction,
(00:26):
and just enough science to make you sound like an expert.
We are on summer break right now, but the truth
is my producer Molly and I can't stop our own
plant addictions, so we are bringing you some sunny mini
episodes to enjoy before we return with a full season.
Throughout the summer, we'll be dropping incredible stories from growers,
(00:48):
fund advice we get from experts, and we'll even be
bringing you along on our field trips as we visit
rooftop gardens and plant nurseries and community gardens. And we're
even going to interview some of the sheep roaming around
Governor's Island, which I am so excited for. But in
today's bonus episode, we are celebrating Pride with a special
(01:08):
interview with Jane Henson Jane is the founder of Transgenerational
Farm in the Hudson Valley in New York, and she's
made at her mission there to connect LGBTQ folks to
food and agriculture and to carve out a space in
rural communities. I wanted to learn more about Jane's journey
from watching soybeans grow in rural Kansas to finding comfort
(01:32):
in New York City, to starting a farm in the
Northeast for people often ostracized from farming and agriculture, and
to create access to healthy, organic produce for those who
are food and secure. So I gave Jane Cole, Hey,
(01:59):
j and are you there. Hi, Yeah, I'm here. It's
so nice to be chatting with you. I feel like
we've been reading up on what you're doing and and
it's just exciting to have you on this program. Oh great, Yeah,
I'm happy to be here. I'm a big fan of
the show. Well, one of the things I wanted to
start by asking was I know that you grew up
in rural Kansas, and I think did some work on
(02:21):
a family farm, and we were wondering, what are your
earliest memories or moments that you enjoyed growing or caring
for plants. Uh. Yeah, So my my family is an
agriculture family. My grandparents, UM had a big conventional farm
back in Kansas. Uh. And I remember when I was
(02:41):
helping out on the farm. I didn't really start helping
out there until I was about a sophomore in college. UM,
and just kind of like after you know, planting a
field of like soybeans, and then a rain would come
and you look out and what once was just like
(03:02):
dirt was now suddenly all these like perfect rows of green,
little babies like coming up out of the soil. I
think was the first time that that something like that
really started to feel really magical. You know, it's like
just you know that that kind of instant transformation. Um.
And then just watching watching those things mature and grow. So,
(03:26):
I know there was a period where you kind of
stepped away from farming, and then it seems like you
got pulled back into it. So what is it that
drew you back to the land. So I I left farming. Um,
I'm I'm a transgender woman. And after I transitioned, UM,
you know, farming and rural life it just really didn't
feel like the kind of thing that a person like
(03:48):
me had any kind of future in and UM, so
I I left Kansas for New York City. UM and
I started working in various nonprofits in different social justice issues,
which was something I had kind of gotten started with
in college, doing different activism around HIV, UM work and
(04:08):
health access, and so I started UM started doing that,
and then kind of moved around to different nonprofits, working
in HIV work and then working in UM with homeless
LGBT youth. And then I started working with an organization
called God's Love. We Deliver and they deliver UM. Yeah,
(04:29):
so they deliver fresh or they deliver frozen meals to
clients living with HIV and AIDS, and one of their
programs that they have is called Food Is Medicine. And
I remember, UM, you know, just thinking about that and
thinking about how access to food is so important for
so many, so many people, UM in terms of just
(04:50):
living healthy lives. And I was also just really kind
of starting to, UM, you know, be very discontent in
the city and really starting to realize that, UM, I'm
not a city girl, and and so and I had
gotten it. Also worked for Growing Ycy for a while
doing their Fresh food Box food box program, which is
(05:13):
a food Access program UM, and that really kind of
that kind of seemed like a nexus of all of
these different activists projects that I was involved in and
really realizing that something that connected all of these was
access to fresh, healthy food. And so you were at
(05:35):
Growing y C. When did you decide to start your
farm transgenerational farm? Yeah, so okay, I was that Growing
oi CY and um, that's when kind of this this
passion for wanting to get back into agriculture, um, move
out of the city and and start growing again really happened.
(05:55):
And I did the farm Beginnings program through growing ysy
would just like a farm business planning program and then um,
you know, but I was it seemed like an impossible question,
right because I was like, well, how do I go
from being you know, paycheck to paycheck renting in the
city to somehow having access to land and knowledge and
(06:21):
all this stuff and start a farm? Like how do
I do that? Like? I don't it, you know, it
seemed right. So I started like looking around and looking
at different internships or things like that, and what I
found I founded this program called the Hudson Valley Farm
Hub and at the time they were doing a program
called the pro farmer training program they were offering. It
(06:44):
was kind of like a work study program. So I
would work on their They have a thirty acre vegetable farm,
UM and so we would go we would work on
the farm. But there was also a very large education
component to it where we would learn about different or
gain nick sustainable, biodynamic, regenerative farming practices. So I did
(07:06):
that program, and in my third year there, UM I
started my own farm business. With the support of the
farm hub, I found some local folks who had some
land that they were At first it kind of started
as maybe like a UM a mentorship or partnership thing
on land with them, and and then they were like,
(07:28):
well what if, like how would you feel about just
starting a farm here? And I was like, okay, Like sure, UM,
I guess I'll do that. So I love that story
in the beginning that we were talking about the um
you know, seeing this field of soybean sort of slowly
blue being or or coming off, and and UM, I'm curious,
(07:50):
but what's the most satisfying thing for you about growing now? Now?
It's um. It's so every time I go to market,
I put out a sample tray of my cherry tomatoes. Um.
And they basically sell themselves at that point. And just
seeing someone pick up a cherry tomato put it in
their mouth and just seeing their eyes lighten up, um.
(08:13):
And and just that expression of total like awe at
that flavor and just that total like enjoyment from that food. Um.
That to me is the real That's where the real
magic happens, is when the things that you grow turn
themselves into nourishment for people in the community. Um. And
(08:33):
I've I've had you know, cs A customers send me
pictures of you know, like the sandwich that they're making
that has my greens on it, and they're like, I
had such a bad day, but these greens are so
good and and that's that's the total reward right there. Um.
And that to me, that's that's the whole reason why
I started doing this, is because I wanted to grow
(08:55):
food for people. Yeah. That delight of someone actually take
easting a tomato in the right way right like that
that it's so joyous and and I guess secretly nutritional.
So let's talk about the mission of transgenerational farm men
and why it's so important in today's world. Yeah, So,
(09:16):
the mission of the farm. Well, the farm has a
lot of missions, UM, but one of the main kind
of like driving things behind the farm is is really
this idea of connecting l g B t Q folks
to land, to rural space, to agriculture and to food UM.
(09:36):
And I think that that's just so important because I
think a lot of people have stories very similar to mine,
where you know, a lot of folks started in a
small rural town, UM come out feel that that place
is just either unsafe or somewhere where they don't have
a future or they just don't see themselves reflected um
(09:58):
in the area and in the culture, and just feeling
like it's not a place for them. And I know
that's certainly how I felt, and that led me, you know,
you know, to to leave, to leave rural life, to
leave Kansas. And I think that it's not only a
detriment to those of us who feel like we have
to leave, but I also feel like it's a detriment
to those communities. UM. So the farm really, you know,
(10:24):
I have this this idea of really making it a
place for for l g B t Q folks. UM.
You know, we do things like our garlic planting party.
I really want to have plans to do more community
centered events and farming immersions, and also just having it
known that it's a place that exists for them and
(10:49):
um yeah, and to pass on that knowledge, to pass
on you know, those nourishing vibes and food to two
folks who often feel ex who did um by just
real life and agriculture in general. So, Jane, one of
the things we think about is like, you know, you're
growing on so much space and and and multiple acres,
(11:11):
But what is one of the reasons that someone should
start growing in their own backyard. I think that that
growing food for yourself. Um, It just creates this whole
new thankfulness and gratitude for the earth, for the things
around you, and for yourself. Um. It really truly feels
(11:34):
like magic when you put a seed in the ground
and you know, watch it grow and then have it
become a meal and something that can sustain you. I
get so much enjoyment out of being able to, you know,
take my focus from the larger macro view of all
the things that are flying at me all the time
(11:56):
and just focus, you know, like when I'm pruning tomatoes
or I'm pruning cube brs and just focus on this
one plant and looking at like, what are the parts
of it? What am I trying to you know, when
I trying to foster in this plant? And how am
I going to do that? And um, when you do
that and you you kind of like sit with that
and you do that over and over and work towards it,
(12:17):
and you see that work. Uh, it's it's reflected right
in front of you, right Like you can see that
plant flourish, you can see that plant grow, you can
reap the benefits of it, and it's just a great
way of having a very tangible experience with you know,
the earth that we're on. And it just brings home
all of these, um, all these ideas about how like
(12:39):
the earth is the it's the thing that sustains us, right,
like all of our food comes from the earth. And
when you become a direct link in that, it opens
up just a whole new world of just like connection
and gratitude. So what is your vision for the future
(13:00):
of you know, not just agriculture, but more growing and
gardening culture. Yeah, um, I think I think my vision
for for agriculture and growing culture is for people to
be aware that, um, you know, diverse people exist in
(13:24):
these spaces, and not just that we exist in these spaces,
but there were that were important in these spaces. And
I'm really I'm really invested in this idea of like
what can trans people, queer people, and like CIS gender
people share with one another, right, like what are the
things that we can learn from each other? Um? And
(13:46):
and really embracing that and opening up to that and
realizing that it's important. Um. I would love to just
seem more LGBT folks in farming. UM. I would love
of for you know, like keynote speakers to know that
it's not okay to make trans jokes during their address
(14:06):
at at farming conferences. UM. I think just like a
more diverse uh, just more diverse like representation in in
who's growing and what we're doing in acknowledgement that it's
not just about seeing different people, but that it's important, right,
(14:27):
Like diversity is important. Diversity breed sustainability, um And that
the more diverse we can make agriculture and gardening culture,
the more relevant it will be across time and space,
and the more longevity it will have. Yeah, well, what
you're doing really is so important and and thank you
(14:49):
for sharing all of that and for being on this
program with us. I really appreciate it. Yeah, thank you,
Thank you so much. I want to thank Jane Henson
again for sharing our story with is. To learn more
about Transgenerational Farm and it's c s A visit Transgenerational
dash farm dot com. That's Transgenerational dash farm dot com.
(15:12):
You can also follow the farm on Instagram for more
updates at Transgenerational Farm. That's it for today's bonus episode,
but check here soon for more bonus episodes this summer.
And don't forget no matter what season it is or
where you're at in your gardening journey, there's some incredible
resources waiting for you on the Miracle Grow website. Humans
(15:32):
Growing Stuff is a collaboration from I Heart Radio and
your friends at Miracle Grow. Our show is written and
produced by Molly Sosha and me together. Thank you so
much for listening.
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