Staff
As the Farm Director, Steven is excited to be overseeing the care and growth of the Farm. As a site for restorative Edenic homemaking, the Farm can become a laboratory for radical hospitality, where Redeemer members and community members alike can grow in deeper relationships with God, with one another, and with the stranger in our midst.
For a decade before coming to New Garden Farm, Steven worked as a farmer, pastor, and educator in Austin, Texas, living and working at a tiny-house community for the homeless. Ordained as a deacon the week before COVID shut down the world, Steven has a passion to bring the Church and the poor into deeper relationships with one another.
Steven Hebbard, Farm Director
For several years Steven had found a long distance mentor in Bishop Alan Hawkins (founding pastor of our Farm’s parish, Church of the Redeemer, and New Garden Park), and in 2021 this friendship led to an invitation for Steven to bring his ministry to us in Greensboro!
When Steven is not casting giant visions, he is fiddling around in his organic garden and playing with mud and straw as a natural builder. Steven is joined by his wife and fellow maker, Dr. Bethany Bear Hebbard, daughter Pearl, and son Caedmon.
Email Steven about farm events and activities, donating to our farm, or partnering with our ministry.
Hawken Sawyer has been serving as our farm production manager since spring 2023. He spent four years prior to that farming in both southwest Florida and West Africa with ECHO, an organization that seeks to empower and support small scale farmers worldwide. Hawken believes farming ushers in the kingdom of God by restoring broken relationships, stewarding God’s gifts, and meeting practical needs.
He studied theology at Wheaton College and loves learning more about God and allowing that to form his life. Hawken loves spending time with his wife Emily, playing soccer/ultimate frisbee, drinking good coffee over good conversation, reading fiction, and making soap.
You can email Hawken here.
Hawken Sawyer, Farm Production Manager
Innocent manages the expansion of East African crop cultivation, the harvesting and selling of the East African produce, and facilitating communication and education about the farm ministry with the East African community both in our parish and in wider Greensboro. Innocent is a leader in our East African worshipping community, often helping to lead worship and acting in a deacon role. He has been working part-time at the farm since June of 2018 and has been an invaluable member of our farm team. Before he had to flee the Democratic Republic of Congo as a refugee, he worked as a French teacher and a farmer. Innocent is deeply dedicated to the farm and comes in the early mornings before his other job starts to help us work the land. Since 2019, he has been piloting an East African section of our land.
Innocent Muco, East African Crop Manager
We’re also so grateful for each intern and volunteer who joins to spend time working on the farm with us! We couldn’t do it without you!
