Last summer, young farmer Moses Kashem broke ground on a neglected 1/2-acre of land owned by St. Simon’s Episcopal Church in Miami, Florida. A year later, the lot has been transformed into a diversified vegetable farm, providing crops such as lettuce, heirloom tomatoes, herbs, and eggplant to Whole Foods, several local restaurants, and a 30-member community supported agriculture (CSA) program.

Originally from Bangladesh, Kashem launched his farming career at Florida International University. When a lease on state-owned land didn’t pan out, he turned his attention to an overgrown 4-acre piece of land owned by the church he had attended with his wife, Erin, since 2013. The 28-year-old asked the church’s vestry if he might farm the land.

At first, some of the elders balked, but they eventually agreed to allow Kashem to sign a three-year lease, which he hopes to extend to 10 years. In exchange, he promised the church 15 percent of the farm’s profits along with outreach through farm-to-table dinners and cooking classes.