Congratulations to John Niscavits, our October volunteer of the month. Hope Farms has benefited greatly from John's dedication to farm work assisting with production and post-hurricane restoration. With a personal interest in organic gardening and achieving partial self sustainment by supplementing with home grown produce, John sought out a hands-on experience in urban agriculture. "Recipe For Success' investment into Hope Farms has given me opportunities to enrich my understanding of growing food organically, as well as how to grow more efficiently," he says, adding that he and a fellow friend and neighbor would like to introduce these methods into their Hobby District community. John laughs about his ambitions and comments that his growing enthusiasm for urban farming evokes the desire to till up his front yard and plant rows of corn, joking, "Maybe one day we can write that into our deed restrictions."
When casting aside visions of corn rows, John works as a full-time nurse in neurotrauma intensive care and serves at Neartown Church, playing music and leading Bible studies. He also plays and records music with a close friend and Houston area producer and often collaborates with his wife, a songwriter as well. His family enjoys being outdoors, hiking, camping, and fishing in their free time.
John continues to volunteer at Hope Farms because of the relationships he's built with the Recipe for Success staff, apprentices, and fellow volunteers. Through meaningful conversations and gratifying work, John always learns something new, "whether it's about farming, gardening, or life in general." One of his favorite memories while volunteering was created when he and an intern built the greenhouse doors. It wasn't the construction of the doors that excited John, but the knowledge that he was contributing to a structure that would house all of the farm's seedlings and understanding these seedlings would eventually turn into an abundant harvest.
Chief Agricultural Officer, Justin Myers, along with the rest of the Recipe for Success team, is grateful for John's contribution to the farm through the scorching summer months to our first fall planting. Justin adds, "John's kind nature, authenticity, and positive energy has been a welcome and valuable presence to the farm's growth and success." Thank you, John, for your support of Hope Farms!
