When he was in the military, Wayne Maglich says he was used to digging, but otherwise “didn’t know anything about farming.”
Today, the once-homeless veteran is a star employee at the Redland Community Farm and Market at Verde Gardens, an organic farm in Homestead that’s now being run by Redland Ahead, a nonprofit company that supports training veterans and members of underserved populations for careers in farming.
“Wayne’s gone from knowing little about farming to being the most reliable and punctual employee we have,” says Redland Ahead president John Mills. “He was running the market yesterday. He’s a real steady Eddie.”
To work on a farm, find and train people to work there, and support the community and the farm’s mission takes the proverbial village. Redland Ahead works with the Miami-Dade Homeless Trust and Produce and Pantry farmers Gio Barthole and Andrew Diaz, who have overseen expansion of more acreage and ordering seeds, among other tasks.
The organic farm is thriving so far this season, producing greens, cut flowers, tomatoes, kale, beans and more winter vegetables. Maglich, who celebrates his one-year anniversary on the farm in Jan., does everything that’s needed – seeding, planting, harvesting, working the market. In addition to getting a paycheck, he takes home fresh produce: kale and tomatoes at the moment. “And I get fresh air all the time,” he says.
Redland Community Farm and Market
12690 SW 280 St., Homestead
The farm supplies many local farmers markets with seasonal produce as well as its own market and cafe, open daily. The third Friday of the month is their special night market from 5-9pm.
