By Sheila Kinkade
In March, Great Kids Farm welcomed John ‘Brooks’ Binau as its new Farm Manager. Learn more about the origins of Brooks’ passion for farming and what excites him most about his new role below.
Where did you grow up?
Hagerstown, Maryland.
What's the most interesting place you've ever lived?
Goba Mpingo, Zambia.
What’s your favorite thing about Baltimore?
Its history and, of course, the Orioles.
What inspired you to pursue a career in farming?
Witnessing generational farmland being converted into housing developments and shopping centers while growing up in western Maryland. Once I began farming, the creative process and mind puzzle of manipulating nature into providing food for people became the driving force of my motivation.
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Getting this job.
What excites you most about your new role?
Providing school cafeterias with delicious vegetables and inspiring a younger generation to expect real food.
What plant do you enjoy growing most?
All of them, but I really like perennial fruits.
What's your favorite meal to prepare?
Homemade burritos for a large group.
What's the most unusual thing you've ever eaten?
Roasted termites.
Who's your greatest hero/heroine?
Sargent Shriver.
Have you had a mentor in life and if so, who?
Yes, I have had many. A particularly influential one was my Uncle Bink.
What's your favorite book and/or film?
1491 by Charles C Mann.
What do you like to do most in your 'free' time?
What concerns you most about today's world?
Access to fresh water, climate change, and greed.
What gives you the greatest hope?
Positive thinkers, innovators, and inventers.