Laredo Farm Teaches Urban Agriculture to Volunteers

The Laredo Center for Urban Agriculture & Sustainability is welcoming anyone curious about growing food to spend their mornings learning at a working farm right in the heart of Texas.

Starting this summer, the Demonstration Farm at Canseco House opens Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon for hands-on volunteering. Students needing community service hours and anyone completing service requirements can sign up, but the opportunity is open to all community members who want to dig in.

Volunteers learn the complete cycle of urban farming. They plant and harvest crops alongside experienced instructors, master essential skills like weeding and mulching, and understand how irrigation systems keep plants thriving in Texas heat.

Executive Director Jose Garcia leads the program, building on years of teaching Laredo residents how cities can grow their own food. The center has transformed urban spaces into productive gardens that feed families and build community connections.

The Ripple Effect

What starts as a few hours picking peppers or laying mulch can change how people see their relationship with food forever. Urban agriculture skills empower individuals to grow fresh produce in small spaces, reducing grocery costs and increasing access to healthy options.

The knowledge spreads beyond individual volunteers. People take these techniques home to start backyard gardens, share seeds with neighbors, and teach children where food actually comes from before it reaches supermarket shelves.

Community workshops and events at the farm create gathering spaces where Laredo residents connect over shared purpose. These moments build networks of people who support local food systems and environmental sustainability.

Anyone interested in volunteering can contact Jose Garcia at 956-771-8449 or email exec@laredourbanag.org to get started. No experience necessary—just curiosity about growing things and a willingness to learn.

From a single demonstration farm, Laredo is cultivating a generation that knows how to feed itself.