Growing with Purpose: LaGuardia’s Urban Farm Fall Harvest Yields 500 Pounds of Fresh Produce for Students in Need
LONG ISLAND CITY, NY (October 31, 2025) — On Monday, October 27, under a crisp, clear sky, the fall harvest was underway at LaGuardia Community College’s Finca La Florecita.
Students in the Sustainable Urban Agriculture program hand-harvested autumn crops such as lettuce, kale, spinach, and carrots, while planting for the winter season ahead. Ninety-five percent of the harvest would go to LaGuardia CARES, the college’s pantry program supporting students facing food insecurity.
Since March, Finca La Florecita, the college’s urban farm, has produced more than 3,000 pounds of fresh food, with 500 pounds harvested this fall alone. More than 50 varieties of vegetables and herbs have been grown at La Finca, as the farm is known on campus. The program is part of LaGuardia’s Environmental Science Program, co-directed by Dr. Preethi Radhakrishnan.
“Students experience the full circle of food production—from seeding and planting to growing, harvesting, and delivering produce to the pantry,” said Chelsea Encababian, lecturer and course coordinator of the Sustainable Urban Agriculture Track.
“The LaGuardia CARES food pantry is the third most visited space on campus, following the Registrar and Bursar’s offices,” added Encababian. “Within minutes of making a delivery to LaGuardia CARES, people will be coming out with bags of produce. This shows the urgent need for programs that educate while providing direct support—not only for students interested in urban agriculture but students who need access to food. In Long Island City, some students face tremendous challenges—both economically and in accessing fresh, affordable food.”
Leading the fall harvest were Sustainable Urban Agriculture majors in SCG 230: Vegetable Production, an introductory course where students manage their own raised beds using the square-foot gardening method.
Morgan Vlad-McCabe, 34, brings a passion for food justice and community building to her work at La Finca. After several years serving on the Board of the Bushwick Food Co-op, Vlad-McCabe, who holds a bachelor’s from McGill University, enrolled at LaGuardia for practical, field-based learning.
This fall, Vlad-McCabe is growing what she calls her “little salad garden,” which includes lettuces, mustard greens, red and white radishes, golden beets, and carrots.
Vlad-McCabe is proud to know the food she helps grow goes to LaGuardia CARES to support students facing food insecurity.
“That was probably the thing I liked the most when I found out where the food was going,” she said. “I think it’s a beautiful example of how a program like this can give back to the community.”
Vlad-McCabe hopes to open a sandwich shop that incorporates square-foot gardening and educational programming for kids. She envisions it as a space where people can come together to learn about food production, sustainability, and community care—values she’s already putting into practice at LaGuardia. She currently holds popups around the city selling her Sans Nom Sauces—a hot sauce made with sugar rush peach peppers is a best seller.
Earlier this fall, Vlad-McCabe used Thai and Chinese eggplants harvested at La Finca to make a favorite recipe, a Filipino-style eggplant omelet. She chars the whole eggplant over a gas burner, peels and flattens it, soaks it in scrambled eggs, and pan-fries it to create a savory dish served over rice with chilies, banana ketchup, or hot sauce. It’s a nod to her husband’s Filipino heritage and a reflection of her love for vegetable-forward meals.
Ashley Cheung, 20, is originally from the Dominican Republic and now lives in Flushing, Queens. In addition to being a Sustainable Urban Agriculture major, Ashley has on-campus job working on the Farm Crew this fall where she’s found meaning in the work.
“It means a lot to me that we’re growing food for students in need. It makes me wish we could harvest so much more than we’re capable of,” Cheung shared.
This fall, Cheung is growing kohlrabi, arugula, sugar snap peas, radish, and curled cress—a microgreen they describe as “like very small lettuce.” Their favorite harvest so far has been kohlrabi, which they recently turned into a simple, flavorful curry using golden curry mix and served over rice. “It tasted amazing,” they said. I think it’s the sweetness of the kohlrabi.”
Cheung’s journey into agriculture is still germinating. They hope to one day return to the Dominican Republic to farm professionally and is considering continuing their education with a bachelor’s degree. For now, they are focused on learning, growing, and giving back.
“Now that I’m here, I’m like… there’s so much diversity in terms of what I can do for careers,” said Cheung. “It’s awesome.”
Sudiksha Sharma, 21, is a third-semester LaGuardia student from India, where she began working towards a bachelor’s degree before transferring to LaGuardia. She discovered the program in a unique way—her mother used ChatGPT to search for agriculture courses, which led them to the Sustainable Urban Agriculture track within the Environmental Science major.
In her raised bed at La Finca, Sharma is growing spinach, radishes, carrots, beets, lettuce, and cabbage. She chose spinach because, “It’s my favorite vegetable and thrives in cooler weather.” Sharma’s bed includes both seeded and transplanted crops, with transplants started in LaGuardia’s seed lab.
Sharma is proud to contribute to LaGuardia CARES, the college’s pantry program that supports food-insecure students. She said, “I was so glad when I heard about it… the labor that everyone does here, it’s going somewhere. You know that it’s utilized somewhere—that’s real.”
Sharma enjoys taking produce home and cooking with it. A favorite dish is a traditional cucumber-potato salad recipe from her mother’s Nepalese heritage. The dish, which Sharma describes as a salad, includes cucumbers, onions, and room-temperature boiled potatoes, tossed with roasted sesame powder, salt, and a spiced oil made with fenugreek seeds, chilies, and turmeric. She emphasized the importance of cooking spices in oil to bring out their full flavor. She serves the dish at room temperature with rice or flatbread.
Sharma hopes to pursue a research career in agricultural sciences, possibly transferring to a college upstate like Cornell or SUNY Cobleskill. Her goal is to earn a doctorate to study plant diseases and contribute to sustainable food systems.
Finley Johnson, 26, brings a rich background in the culinary world to his studies in food systems and farming. Originally from Minnesota, Johnson has spent years working in restaurants, starting as a cook and chef before transitioning to his current role as a server at Maison Premiere in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. His kitchen experience includes working as a garde-manger (a chef responsible for cold dishes), making desserts, grilling steaks, and crafting handmade pasta. “I love to cook,” he said.
Johnson’s journey to LaGuardia wasn’t linear. He previously attended the University of North Dakota for mechanical engineering and later tried graphic design at Minneapolis Community College before enrolling in LaGuardia’s Environmental Science program. A class project at La Florecita helped him realize he wanted a more specialized degree. “Since I’ll only be here for two years, hopefully, I wanted something more focused,” he explained.
This fall, Johnson has grown turnips, arugula, lettuces, and cauliflower. He recently brought home farm-grown cucamelons to share with his girlfriend. He attempted to pickle the cucamelons but found their skin made it difficult for the brine to penetrate. He plans to try again using a different method.
Johnson is passionate about the intersection of food, farming, and sustainability. “Fresh vegetables should be accessible to as many people as possible,” said Johnson, who is critical of the prevalence of ultra-processed foods and the waste generated by convenience culture. “It’s crazy to think about how much ultra-processed foods are so easily accessible and cheap. If it’s nutritious, then it’s going to taste good… you don’t need all the processed stuff.”
He’s interested in how restaurants could incorporate rooftop gardens or hydroponic systems, though he acknowledges the financial and spatial challenges.
Johnson’s future aspirations include seed breeding and possibly transferring to Cornell’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. He’s also considering moving to California to continue his education, drawn by the state’s robust agricultural industry.
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LaGuardia Community College (LAGCC), a Hispanic-Serving Institution, located in Long Island City, Queens offers more than 50 associate degrees and academic certificates, and more than 65 continuing education programs to prepare New Yorkers for transfer to senior colleges and rewarding jobs and careers. An institution of the City University of New York (CUNY), the College reflects the legacy of our namesake, Fiorello H. LaGuardia, the former NYC mayor beloved for his advocacy of the underserved. Since 1971, LaGuardia’s academic programs and support services have advanced the socioeconomic mobility of students from Queens, NYC and beyond.
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