Caliton Cultivates Community on Clay County Farm

Caliton Ntahompagaze loves eating the African eggplant varieties he remembers from his youth.

So in 2007, when Caliton and his wife Honoree moved to Fargo, African eggplant would be on the menu.

Or would it?

Alas, fresh African eggplant was nowhere to be found. Not in farmers markets, not in the grocery produce aisle. Eventually, he found the eggplant he longed for in the grocery freezer case.

Yet that didn’t exactly tickle the taste buds, but what could he do? For years, he settled for frozen eggplant— which seemed odd to him during the summer months —and then he took matters into his own hands.

This, he thought, is an opportunity! After all, he grew up farming. He knew others who longed for the fresh taste of African eggplant. Why not become a farmer?

That was a good idea with one little caveat —you can’t farm without land. Yet undaunted, he plows ahead!

Farming Takes a Village

Caliton’s mission to start farming began in 2015. But take a moment to look back.

Caliton was born on a family farm in the African nation of Burundi. Then in the 1970s, political unrest and violence forced his family to flee their land. Time passed with temporary shelters in other countries, but even as refugees, the family still managed to engage in farming as best they could. In 2007, he and his wife, Honoree, found their new home in Fargo.

Once he put his mind to growing produce, Caliton turned to friends, family, nonprofits, and agriculture organizations. He notes his neighbor, Frank Casey, was instrumental in helping. He turned to help from the Northern Plains Sustainable Ag Society and the University of Minnesota Extension. He learned local farming traditions and started growing in neighborhood and backyard garden plots, testing demand for his precious eggplant at farmers markets.

It takes a village, right? Caliton even has a favorite saying, “Help yourself and help one another.”

Still, there had to be a way to grow, literally.

A Dream Takes Root in Clay County

He became a founding member of the New Roots Farm Incubator Cooperative. New Roots is designed to provide support for beginning farmers by offering farmland leasing, the shared use of equipment and facilities, and training that provides support for launching fresh vegetable production. The cooperative, near Dilworth, supports farmers from all backgrounds with fewer than 10 years of experience.

Then in 2022, his dream came true. Caliton established the Caliton Family Farm, purchasing a 13-acre plot of land in Clay County.

Still living in Fargo, Caliton has a half-hour commute to his vegetable farm. Most summer days on the farm involve the entire family and start around 9 a.m. Like all farms, there are challenges. The peas mostly went to the birds this year, he said. Weeds that directly affect garden plants are pulled by hand, but many simply coexist. If nothing else, they provide some ground cover.

What’s next for Caliton? His farm is transitioning to fully organic. Anyone who has transitioned commercial land into organic knows it takes patience. He sells a variety of produce for area farmers markets, specialty grocery stores, and co-ops. Caliton grows zucchini, squash, peppers, garlic, kale, kohlrabi, and potatoes.  He’s demonstrated cooking techniques, educated people on how to use African eggplant. In fact, he held cooking demonstrations at Manna Food Cooperative in Detroit Lakes.

With seven children, youth hold a special place in his heart. He talks about youth and introduces them to farming. That desire, in part, led him to create an educational project called Agriculture to the Culture Academy, so that many others can experience growing their own food. For instance, he has maize planted to show Central American culture to farm visitors.

So as his story continues, “Help yourself and help one another” is certainly more than a saying. It’s a way of life.