Urban farm programme in KL aims to build a strong connection to food

The VTOC Urban Farm with a backdrop of magnificent raintrees that frame its lush garden beds. Photos: The Star/Azman Ghani

Nestled in the heart of Kuala Lumpur for 110 years is the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA), a beacon of women’s empowerment.

Spanning three acres (1.2ha) of land dotted with majestic centuries-old raintrees, the YWCA has a rich history.

In 1998, on its premises, it formed the Vocational Training Opportunity Centre (VTOC), a transformative force that has since equipped over 1,700 women with skills in essential fields such as Early Childhood Education, Fashion and Tailoring, Culinary and Bakery, Health Care, and Hairdressing and Beauty Care.

In 2017, in partnership with Think City, Eats, Shoots & Roots collaborated with the organisation to start an urban farm with the purpose of inculcating environmental responsibility and a strong connection to the food they create.

Culinary & Bakery Students learn how to grow and cultivate edible plants every week and create dishes using ingredients from the on-site garden.

In this feature, we chat with Serena Michelle Manimaran, a passionate VTOC graduate, Elizabeth Easaw, principal of VTOC, and Joanne Yeoh, chairperson of VTOC and president of YWCA KL.

Serena says growing our own food is a healthier option and also helps protect the planet.

Serena’s culinary journey began 12 years ago, fuelled by her aunt’s passion for cooking. After graduating from the Culinary & Bakery course last year, Serena, 25, now serves as an administration coordinator at VTOC. She aspires to be a chef and establish her own brand one day.

How does the urban farm make the Culinary & Bakery course unique?

Yeoh: The urban farm is not just a garden. The whole idea is an educational programme for our Culinary and Bakery girls. When they first started the girls found it very tiring because it was not something they were used to, and they didn’t even know they would be learning how to farm. But it has become part and parcel of the curriculum and there is a dedicated person to look after the farm, so it has evolved into something that is part of the VTOC.

Tell us a little about the Urban Farm Programme that is incorporated in the Culinary & Bakery course

Elizabeth: It’s built up from the start where they attend to a farm, learn about herbs and vegetables and then use them to cook. Ultimately, they present it to our guests and sponsors whom we invite to have a meal with us, all prepared by our girls with the ESR team standing beside them.

Serena: In the Urban Farm programme, we have three special events each year. There is a Market Day where we sell products made from the farm, a Masterchef cooking competition and a four-course lunch event where we prepare dishes straight from the farm for a group of people. It’s not just about cooking; we have to also do the costing, understand what is growing, how much to buy and make just enough for everyone.

In the Urban Farm Programme, Culinary & Bakery students learn about composting, healthy soil management, growing from seed, maintaining the farm, harvesting and cooking from the farm.

What do you have to do in the Urban Farm Programme and what do you enjoy about it?

Serena: Initially, we took care of just one (garden) bed, but gradually, we were responsible for the entire farm. It feels like your own baby, growing from seed, feeding and watering it daily. Every Wednesday, it would be our turn to harvest and cook, and it makes me happy when people enjoy it.

What are some things that you grow and cook from the farm and what are the gardening tips you’ve learnt?

Serena: We use a lot of kangkung, long beans, brinjal and we cook curries. We also make drinks from Roselle flowers. We also learn about new plants and experiment with dishes. For example, we made crackling spinach from Brazilian spinach.

There are some things you cannot plant in the same spot the whole year because the soil will need to rest. You also need to let plants like curry trees grow before harvesting too much. We know how to compost and how it can be used as fertiliser later.

The 2023 Culinary & Bakery students in the garden with Naqib Iskandar (centre, front) from Eats, Shoots & Roots and longstanding members of YWCA, Juwita Suwito (5th from right) and Lindsey Ong (sixth from right). Photo: The Star/Aina Amirah

How impactful has having the urban farm been for your course?

Serena: Nowadays, there are chemicals in literally everything. Growing our own food becomes a healthier option, giving us more satisfaction with what we are eating and what goes into our body while saving the planet. It’s something I can talk about proudly, because it’s not easy to grow something.

Elizabeth: These girls may end up being mothers, wives or having to run a home. The fact that they know that they can grow their own food, when prices are soaring and vegetables are getting so expensive, opens a doorway for them to invest in nature, in which man and nature can work hand in hand.

It makes a big difference. This exercise goes beyond the mere act of cooking; it educates the students on the entire process, from calculating ingredient costs to harvesting produce responsibly.

As someone who cooks, is there a difference in food you’ve grown versus store-bought ones?

Serena: It’s important when you want to create food that you know how it’s grown or where it comes from, so people know you care about what you cook.

People appreciate you putting in the effort and it makes a difference when you tell the story why you created a dish. People are willing to pay to hear your stories about your food.

A harvest of butterfly pea, chilli and their favourite vegetable from the garden, kangkung. Photo: The Star/Aina Amirah

What advice would you give to gardeners out there?

Serena: Begin with small steps. While you may have big aspirations, taking it one baby step at a time allows for gradual progress. Sometimes, you can’t sprint; you have to walk.

So, start small and incrementally increase, observing the differences. Despite challenges, work diligently and try not to give up. Gardening has given me a valuable lesson in patience.

How has the VTOC experience impacted you?

Serena: VTOC changed my life by providing an opportunity to take small steps in creating my own brand one day. There are times I feel down, but I am

determined to stay positive and believe something good will happen, because everything happens for a reason.

This experience has taught me discipline and given me confidence. Learning how to keep going even after making mistakes or facing criticism from chefs is crucial. In the real kitchen, challenges are tougher, and breaking down is not an option.

Do you think this gardening movement is growing in Malaysia?

Serena: Malaysians are still learning and getting the hang of composting and growing their own food. We are a bit slow to this. People my age are all trying to save the environment these days; we bring our own mugs everywhere. Back then, there was a lot of plastic in use and these days I see more people using recycling bags and reusing things. They are gradually learning how to save the planet.

YWCA VTOC actively sponsors students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, championing diversity irrespective of ethnicity, religion or culture. Currently fundraising for educational programmes, they are seeking partners to transform their space into a public nature retreat and tourist attraction in the heart of the city. If you’re interested to find out more, visit www.ywcakl.org.my or follow them on Instagram.

Ready, Set, Grow! is a column brought to you by Eats, Shoots & Roots, a social enterprise with the aim of connecting people to nature through growing food. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram for growing tips and more.