At Provost Farm, the term lagniappe—a little something extra—beautifully reflects our purpose to go beyond the expected in serving our community.
Like the bonus harvest from a well-tended crop, our work embodies the spirit of lagniappe by cultivating opportunities, knowledge, and equity that enrich lives and strengthen our shared heritage.
lagniappe
angie & June Provost
Angie and Wenceslaus “June” Provost Jr. are the husband-and-wife team behind the Provost Farm Heritage Center and Community Garden. Together, they carry forward generations of agricultural knowledge while creating new opportunities for education, preservation, and community engagement.
Angie serves as Executive Director and Program Developer, leading the organization’s educational programs, historical preservation efforts, exhibits, partnerships, and community initiatives. Her work brings together agriculture, history, and the arts to tell the stories of the land and the people who have shaped South Louisiana.
June is a multi-generation sugarcane farmer and serves as Farm Manager, overseeing the farm’s day-to-day agricultural operations and sharing the knowledge and traditions passed down through generations of his family.
Together, Angie and June are committed to keeping agriculture alive, preserving its history, and creating a place where people can learn, connect, and experience the rich agricultural heritage of South Louisiana.
regional traditions
The traditions of South Louisiana reflect generations of cultural exchange, with West African influences deeply woven into the region’s agriculture, foodways, music, craftsmanship, and community practices. From farming techniques and shared meals to celebrations and oral traditions, these influences blended with Indigenous, European, Caribbean, and other cultural traditions to help shape the distinctive heritage of our region.
gammie’s red beans and rice recipe
Ingredients
1 lb dried red beans (or 2 cans, drained and rinsed)
1 tbsp vegetable oil or bacon drippings
1 medium onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
3–4 garlic cloves, minced
1 smoked sausage (like andouille), sliced
6 cups water or chicken broth (use less if using canned beans)
2 bay leaves
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp paprika
½ tsp cayenne (optional)
Salt and black pepper, to taste
3 cups cooked white rice
Green onions or hot sauce, for serving
Directions
Soak beans (if using dried): Rinse and soak overnight in water. Drain before cooking.
Sauté vegetables: Heat oil in a large pot. Cook onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic until soft.
Add sausage: Stir in sliced sausage and cook until lightly browned.
Simmer beans: Add beans, water/broth, bay leaves, thyme, paprika, and cayenne. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until beans are tender (about 1½–2 hours for dried beans, 30 minutes for canned). Stir occasionally and mash a few beans against the pot to make it creamy.
Season: Remove bay leaves. Add salt and black pepper to taste.
Serve: Spoon over hot white rice. Garnish with green onions or a splash of hot sauce.
book recs
Learn more about south Louisiana’s West African Creole History.
“Your success as a farmer should never depend on my failure. We all deserve the opportunity to live fairly, farm sustainably, and be respected as human beings. I am a farmer, too.” — June provost
From top to bottom: Wenceslaus Provost Sr. and Sons Farm, 1999. Photograph by John Ficara, Black Farmers in America. Illustration of Azelea and Antoine Winters Jr., 1880s, great-great-grandparents of Angie Provost. June Provost, 1999. Photograph by John Ficara, Black Farmers in America.