Exciting News & Fall Updates from The Farm at CTI

Growing a Stronger Eleuthera:

The Farm at CTI Delivers Food Security, Innovation & New Possibilities

This year, The Farm at CTI expanded its reach, supplying high-quality produce to restaurants, grocery stores, and hotels across the length and breadth of Eleuthera. Chefs consistently praise the farm’s exceptional flavor, superior freshness, and extended shelf life; key indicators of healthy soil and sustainable growing methods. These purchases also keep more dollars circulating in the local economy, building shared opportunities while reducing Eleuthera’s dependence on imported vegetables.

While late summer and early fall typically present challenges for growers — including extreme heat, heavy pest pressure, and seasonal viruses — the farm used this period strategically. The team undertook a major reset, clearing, cleaning, and preparing the Oasis Grow House, the hydropool system, and the outdoor acreage for the upcoming winter planting season. With the protective cover crop tilled into the soil, the land is now ready to flourish with a diverse array of hearty crops, including Broccoli, Broccolini, Kale, Eggplant, Heirloom Tomatoes, Cauliflower, Sweet Peppers, and Corn.

This careful annual preparation ensures that the farm has a longer production run and families and businesses on Eleuthera can, in turn, count on a consistent year-round supply of fresh, nutritious produce, which is no small achievement for an island facing climate challenges and import vulnerabilities.

New Leadership, Same Vision

This summer, The Farm welcomed Garth “Tsekani” Nash, who now leads Agricultural Operations. With decades of hands-on experience in The Bahamas’ agriculture sector — and having worked closely with outgoing farm managers, Dr. Selima and Tim Hauber — Tsekani brings unmatched passion for innovation, training, and capacity building. His commitment to empowering Eleuthera’s youth, strengthening local farmers, and expanding The Farm’s sustainability footprint is already energizing the entire operation and building on the farm’s success and momentum.

The Regenerative Food Forest (RFF) At CTI
Continues To Take Shape

Another exciting milestone is the continued development of CTI’s 1-acre Regenerative Food Forest (RFF), a long-term investment that models ecosystem-based farming. The top canopy layer — composed of fruit-bearing trees — is now largely in place. Recent additions of cassava, banana, plantain, okra, sugarcane, and sorghum have begun filling in the lower layers, strengthening the forest’s biodiversity and reinforcing a balanced, self-sustaining ecosystem.

Irrigation infrastructure is currently being installed, enabling the RFF to flourish as a living classroom for farmers, students, and visitors. Once fully established, this syntropic farming system will produce nutrient-rich food while regenerating soil, increasing habitat diversity, and demonstrating what climate-smart agriculture can achieve in small island contexts.

Powered by Donors, Rooted in Community

Every seed planted, every new crop harvested, and every student trained is made possible through the generosity of OEF donors and partners who believe in food security for all. Donor support sustains an enterprise that nourishes families, strengthens the local economy, and builds skills that last a lifetime.

With continued investment, The Farm at CTI will keep growing, literally and figuratively, as a model of resilience, innovation, and community-driven sustainability.