When you step inside a greenhouse in the middle of winter, something shifts. The air is warmer. The greens are vibrant. And the sense of possibility is undeniable.
That’s exactly where episode 43 of the Agri-Tourist Podcast begins—inside a greenhouse filled with hydroponic lettuce, volunteers, and a vision far bigger than food alone.
At the center of it all is Giany Guedjo, executive director of Carolina Human Reinvestment, a nonprofit based in Georgetown, South Carolina that has quietly grown into one of the most impactful community-based food and education models in the region.
What started as a way to help kids stay engaged in school has evolved into a full ecosystem—one that produces food, builds job skills, restores dignity, and feeds thousands.
“The garden was started for the kids,” Giany explains. “But once COVID hit, food became the emergency—and we had to respond.”
A Community Garden Designed With Intention
Inside the greenhouse, two growing philosophies exist side by side: traditional soil beds and hydroponic systems.
“We do both,” Giany says. “One side is hydro, and the other side is traditional growing in dirt.”
Rather than choosing one method over the other, the garden uses each system strategically. Hydroponics allows them to grow lettuce from seed to harvest in just six weeks. Soil beds—built over time with compost—teach patience, stewardship, and soil health.
“If you water from the top, the roots come up,” Giany explains. “But when plants reach for water below, they develop stronger, deeper roots.”
That philosophy—build depth before growth—applies far beyond plants.
Engineering Meets Community Power
The hydroponic system itself is a product of collaboration, ingenuity, and volunteer talent.
Originally inspired by Tower Garden systems, Giany and a volunteer with engineering experience rebuilt the concept using donated pipes and locally sourced materials.
“We started brainstorming,” he says, “and before we knew it, we had our first system.”
The nutrients are mixed in-house, broken down into three core components and adjusted based on crop needs. Volunteers rotate through stations focused solely on nutrient preparation, temperature control, and system maintenance.
“Not all crops need the same strength,” Giany notes. “There’s science behind every decision.”
Compost, Collaboration, and Circular Systems
The garden’s soil is built, not bought.
Restaurant food scraps, leaves from local landscapers, and layered organic material are transformed into rich compost—used repeatedly to improve once-sandy ground.
“When we started, this soil was yellow,” Giany recalls. “Now it’s dark, rich, and productive.”
Volunteers rotate through composting teams, learning not just how compost works—but why it matters.
From Food Waste to Economic Sustainability
Inside a repurposed shipping container—kept at 80 degrees year-round—orchids line the walls.
They were once headed for the trash.
“These were thrown away,” Giany says. “We give them a second life—and now we sell them to help sustain the garden.”
The same container also houses microgreens, another revenue-generating crop grown in partnership with local restaurants.
“Everything we do is about sustainability,” he explains. “Not just environmental—financial too.”
The Numbers That Tell the Story
The impact is staggering:
- 14+ tons of food grown and donated from outdoor gardens
- 23,000+ heads of lettuce produced through hydroponics
- 1.1 million servings of food delivered through garden + food share programs
“Everything we grow is donated to the community,” Giany says simply.
Why the Garden Exists at All
Despite the scale, the heart of the project remains unchanged.
“The garden was started for the kids.”
Giany works with children impacted by incarceration—students statistically at high risk of falling into the same cycles.
“Without intervention, 70–80% of these kids will be incarcerated at least once,” he explains. “With intervention, that drops dramatically.”
Gardening became a bridge—connecting academics, nutrition, science, responsibility, and hope.
“They touch it, feel it, read about it, and talk about it,” he says. “Learning becomes real.”
Farm-to-School and the Future
The model is now expanding into school campuses through Farm-to-School programs, with gardens installed directly where students learn.
“If the kids can’t come to the garden,” Giany says, “the garden goes to the kids.”
The long-term vision?
“Every school specializes in a crop,” he explains. “Together, they supply salad bars—and kids learn healthy eating early.”
The program will soon be presented at a statewide conference through Clemson Cooperative Extension.
A Journey Rooted in Faith
From growing up in Benin, to immigrating to the U.S. through the diversity visa lottery, to building a nonprofit ecosystem from the ground up—Giany’s story is inseparable from belief.
“I believe there’s always a tomorrow that’s better,” he says. “That belief is my strength.”
Why This Garden Matters
This isn’t just a community garden.
It’s a classroom.
A safety net.
A food system.
A second chance.
“My goal is to be part of the solution,” Giany says. “To leave a sustainable environment for our children.”
And that may be the most harvest-rich outcome of all.
Click here to listen to the full Agri-Tourist Episode 43 with Giany.
Take a video tour of Giany’s Greenhouse.
