Art Brown (left) and Morris Gbolo of World Foods at B&B Farms in New Jersey.
In many parts of the country, harvest time is well underway. As summer comes to an end and many of America’s farmers and ranchers are busy gathering the bounty of their work, it is an important time to reflect on what these producers do every day for our nation in providing such a wide array of food at such low prices. More often than not, all that is good about American agriculture and its participants comes together to knit an incredible feel good story.
The story begins with Morris Gbolo, a Liberian immigrant who arrived eight years ago in Atlantic City, NJ with his wife and two children after living in a refugee camp in Ghana during Liberia’s last Civil War. Gbolo, 51, now operates a unique “pick-your-own” farm in Egg Harbor Township, supplying the local West African community with the native vegetables they enjoy and missed since arriving in the U.S. A lot happened in between.
Prior to Liberia’s first Civil war, Gbolo studied agriculture in Liberia’s capital. As a teaching assistant he taught farmers how to work the land and grow crops more efficiently. Even as a refugee, he helped train fellow refugees in more advanced farming techniques. After arriving in the United States, Gbolo wanted to do what he knew and loved best, and that was to farm.
With the assistance of Rick VanVranken, an agricultural agent For Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Atlantic County, Gbolo was hired as a part-time program associate at the research station in Bridgeton. Later, VanVranken arranged for Gbolo to work for free on a farm in Galloway Township where he began honing his skills at growing and marketing native vegetables such as an African eggplant known as bitter ball, a variety of hot peppers, Malabar spinach and other greens, jute and gourds. From there it only got better.
Gbolo was fortunate to make the acquaintance of Art Brown, New Jersey’s former secretary of agriculture, now retired and back to farming full-time with his wife Caroline at B&B Farms. In 2009, Brown agreed to lease to Gbolo all needed equipment and ground equipped with irrigation and deer fencing. Most importantly, both Art and Caroline continue to offer years of farming, marketing, technological and bookkeeping experience to Gbolo.
Enter USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) New Jersey Farm Loan Manager, Robert Maxwell, who cultivated a friendly and cooperative relationship with Gbolo and serviced the Beginning Farmer loan that ultimately sent Gbolo on his path to success. Maxwell remarks, “Gbolo has the energy, drive and connections to really make this venture work.” With demand growing for his crops largely by word of mouth and the internet, Gbolo plans on expanding. He hopes that one day, he can quit his part-time job driving a truck for the Atlantic City Rescue Mission, and farm full-time. He admits that he would still do volunteer work for the mission. “I like to help people”, he says.
For Art and Caroline Brown, the work never ends. With their mentoring nature and willingness to take risks, B&B Farms is gradually transforming in part to an agricultural business incubator for those individuals who are serious about making a career in agriculture. Art Brown states, “Agriculture in New Jersey is constantly transitioning and becoming more diverse. It’s satisfying to be part of that process.” Not only are they clearing more ground for Gbolo to lease, but also for Jennifer Lamonica.
Jennifer Lamonica now leases ground from the Browns and has completed a successful first year as a 
Community Supported Agriculture, where member s of the community purchase shares for a weekly supply of fresh seasonal organic produce and flowers. She also sells at local farmers’ markets. After a few years apprenticing with another CSA farm, Jennifer knew this was what she wanted to do. She left her field of Marine Biology and jumped into farming. Once again, FSA provided the start-up funds through a Beginning Farmer loan. Now Jennifer’s operation, known as “Sea Salt Girl” is ready to expand and lease more farmland from the Browns, with the CSA contributing to the majority of her operation’s income.
For Morris Gbolo and Jennifer Lamonaca, it is all too clear that farming in a vacuum is impossible. Besides hard work and dedication, it takes assistance and collaboration from not only industry and educational professionals in American agriculture, but also from other farmers such as Art and Caroline Brown who are willing to go out on a limb to further advance the American agricultural dream for others.
— by Coleen McGarrity, FSA agricultural program specialist, New Jersey State Office
