Water, sunlight and love: the care needed to grow a garden is the same no matter where you call home.
- Cornell Cooperative Extension and Journey's End Refugee Services grows program for resettled refugees
- Green Shoots for New Americans program has gardens at 36 Brewster
- Every Thursday now through October you can buy the fresh produce at the farm
"I just have to grow this," Bir Rai, a farmer with the Green Shoots for New Americans program, said. "It's very easy, limited language is easy, because the goal of every human being in this world is to eat."
With that in mind, Rai — a refugee from Nepal — tends to the gardens at 36 Brewster Street as part of the Green Shoots for New Americans program. He came to Buffalo five years ago with the hopes of planting some roots. Since then, he's grown so much more.
"When I came here Journey's End provided me some training," Rai said. "I am able to make some money, which is good."
The gardens are made possible by Cornell Cooperative Extension educators and specialists as well as Journey's End Refugee Services.
"It focuses on giving farmers who farmed in their home countries a chance to farm here in Buffalo," Lauren Dawes, the program manager for Green Shoots, said.
Giving them a sense of normalcy, and making sure no one in Buffalo goes hungry.
"It's a way to bring food into what's called a ‘food desert,’" Dawes said.
It's also a gardening tool for Cornell Cooperative Extension.
"What are the unique pest challenges we face here, how do you sustain water in an urban environment," Judson Reid, Cornell Cooperative Extension senior associate, said.
With the ultimate goal of getting everyone to fine tune their green thumb, planting their own gardens and eliminating food deserts.
"What we can do is feed people fresh fruits and vegetables and improve their access to those fruits and vegetables," Reid said. "Then, they are going to seek out healthy foods."
Until you grow your own, you have the chance to get your hands on this produce. Each Thursday is a public market at Tri-Main Center Lobby from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. — giving these refugees a chance to grow relationships and dreams one seed at a time.
"If I have money, I would love to have my own farm, grow my own vegetables and do business," Rai smiled.