Ten different families prepared traditional meals ranging from sel roti (a nepali donut of sorts) to Chin cold basil seed soup. Our refugee families were thrilled to show off their productive gardens to the guests in attendance and offered everyone mustard greens from their plots. It was a real day of integration as neighbors set up their own grills and small parties in connection with ours.

 The kids had a blast with games, water fights, harvesting greens, and much more. Artists from the Mural Arts Program came to lead an art workshop doing block printing. Kids and adults were able to roll and make beautiful prints using the blocks the artists had made.

 Mayor Michael Nutter arrived to Growing Home just as the Nepali singing and dancing was in full swing. It was a true honor to welcome him to our space and introduce him to some of the families, volunteers, and staff who have made this project incredible! From the first minute Mayor Nutter was amazed by the gardens and positive celebration. It took awhile to explain to our refugee families what Mayor means but some came up and confidently introduced themselves and told their stories.

After showing Mayor Nutter the gardens and introducing him to neighbors he gave a short speech that we translated into 3 languages (Nepali, Burmese, and Karen).

The mayor passionately welcomed our families to Philadelphia and thanked them for all the positive work they have done to transform the block and contribute to the city. He expressed continued support for Growing Home and other projects NSC and Migrant Education program are doing to help. He ended with a positive message about freedom, liberty and diversity in Philadelphia. These recent refugee families were honored and so happy to be welcomed with open arms by the Mayor of this great city!

Last year at this time we were still just building the raised beds in gardens. Now, our gardens are booming!

Every bed is filled with mustard greens, kale, collards, cilantro, and more. It is incredible how much we can pack in! There are 84 of these raised beds!

See the pictures below. So exciting!

 

The early warm weather built up excitement among the community and over 95 people came to our first garden meeting. Every gardener from last year returned for a second season along with 45 new refugee families wanting to garden. We cannot accommodate all of the need so we ended up doing a raffle and ten lucky families got new garden space. Hopefully someday we will have more land. Here is a shot of the excitement and chaos of the first garden meeting of 2012

We have had three large workdays already to get gardens cleaned for spring and begun planting. We have planted mustard greens, collards, kale, cabbage, and cilantro. .The crazy dry wind over the past week was a little harsh on some of our newly planted seedlings.  We’re hoping for some rain and calmer breezes in the coming weeks.  More pictures to follow soon!

In our first season at Growing Home we learned an immense amount about what vegetables varieties our families know and want.  While we relied mostly on donated plants and seeds, we tried to search far and wide for sources of culturally appropriate planting material.  A lot of our families surprised us with seeds of their own. We experimented with varieties and learned what grows well in this climate. To our joy many of the vegetables our families prefer grow easily. For example, amaranth or pigweed grows rampant around this region and our Nepali families all prefer this to kale or collards. Some of the most popular vegetables were bitter melon, long beans, mustard greens, ching baung, loki, asian eggplant, amaranth, and more.

While we did take time to teach them about new vegetables like summer squash or beets we tried as much as possible to support the cultivation of culturally  appropriate crops. These plants help families to connect to their diet, religion, and food preparation methods. Over the winter, we held a meeting with over 80 gardeners in attendance where everyone got to vote and give their input on which vegetables and varieties they like the most. Each cultural group had clear favorites and uses. We then paired down to what grows well here and in small spaces.

This year we get to use some greenhouse space and even grow lights in my basement to propagate some of the more rare, hard to find varieties like Ching Baung.

Over the next few months we will feature some of these crops on our blog.

Chin Baung in Burmese refers to roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa). It is a species of Hibiscus native to the Old World tropics. Last June all the Burmese, Karen, and Chin plots became filled with these little stems. At first I took some out thinking they were weeds and was properly scolded. Turns out, our families had been ordering Ching Baung at the asian market and then planting the stems to root and regrow. Ching Baung is commonly known as Burmese Sorrel or sour plant  because the leaves have a lovely sour taste. It is culinarily & culturally significant for many different ethnic communities from Burma.

I had previously grown roselle in Thailand for the flower buds, but never knew the leaves were edible. The bright red flowers are used to make teas in Jamaica, Thailand, the carribean, Mexico, and parts of Africa. The plant is believed to reduce hypertension and cholesterol. Due to the length of our season and that we got a late start the roselle barely got to flower. However, it was still very productive for the edible leaves, whose crunchy sourness is so refreshing. We were told that roselle  is perhaps the most widely eaten and popular vegetable in Burma. Most of our families said they made a cooling, light soup with the leaves and dried prawn stock. The leaves are also fried with garlic, dried or fresh prawns and green chili or cooked with fish. It is traditionally cooked with chillies and shrimp paste turning the leaves into a dark reddish brown paste. The buds can be used to make jam.

Below you will find a few recipes. You may be able to find Roselle leaves in an Asian market near you!

Roselle Leaves Soup

5 cups water

1 bunch roselle (leaves only, stems trimmed)

1 large onion

2 tablespoons dried shrimp

2 tablespoons fish sauce (available in Burmese and Asian markets)

5 thin green chilies, sliced thin.

 Boil 1 cup of water in the pot, then add roselle leaves, stir until the leaves shrink. Stir in onions. Add 4 cups of water. When it boils, put dried shrimp and fish sauce in and then add green chilies. Sprinkle salt if needed.

 Fried Roselle (Chin Baun Kyaw)

 1/2 cup canola or other vegetable oil

1/3 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 tablespoon ground pepper

1/4 cup dried shrimp (available in Burmese or Asian markets)

1 pound roselle leaves (no stems)

2 small sliced onions

4 tablespoons fish paste (available in Burmese markets)

1/4 cup sliced green thin Thai pepper

 Put oil in frying pan on medium-high heat, add turmeric and ground pepper and stir for 30 seconds. Add dried shrimp and roselle leaves. Wait until the leaves simmer down into tiny pieces, add onions and fish paste and stir until oil comes out. Put in the green pepper and wait a minute or so and the dish is done. Variations of this dish include bamboo shoots and or cooked shrimp, and a clove or two of minced garlic.

 Roselle and Bamboo Shoots

Ingredients
2 bunches roselle leaves
1 small canned shredded bamboo shoots (not raw)
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1/4 tablespoon red chilli powder
1/4 tablespoon turmeric powder
1 medium sized red onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon pounded dried shrimp
6 green chillies
Fish Sauce to taste
1. Prepare the vegetable by breaking off the leaves at the base. Wash roselle leaves and drain the water.

2. Heat up the oil in the frying pan.

3. Add the turmeric, red chilli powder, onion and garlic. Give it a stir until the onion paste becomes golden brown.

4. Add dried shrimp, roselle leaves and 1 tablespoon of water and stir well.

5. When the roselle leaves turn soft then add the shredded bamboo shoots and green chillies. Cover and simmer for about 10-15 minutes, occasionally stirring the mixture until the leaves turn into a dark reddish brown paste. It is ready when the oil has separated

Below you can read her reflections from a season at Growing Home!

I started an internship at NSC’s Growing Home project in August. I was meant to fulfill a certain number of hours as part of the requirements for Arcadia University’s graduate program in International Peace and Conflict Resolution. I quickly reached that number, but found that I didn’t want to stop going down to that special spot in South Philly where refugees from various backgrounds were growing food, finding joy, and creating community. After spending a year at school and learning some things about the challenges and intricacies of refugee resettlement, it was a real privilege to be a part of that process and gain so much more perspective than I had before. I learned, firsthand, that the life of a refugee is hard. I also learned that happy moments can be facilitated, and should be, because they in turn allow people in tough situations to smile, breathe easy for a moment, imagine more happy moments in the future, and work toward that simple goal.

The Growing Home project created a space filled with an activity that nurtured people’s connection to where they live, and to the people they live with. Some of my favorite moments were the field trips we took to the beach and to a local farm. It was encouraging to see that the energy and interest that was created within the garden was strong enough to carry through into new, different settings. The participation in growing food and maintaining a garden translated into participation in experiencing exciting new things together, like seeing the Atlantic from the shores of New Jersey and trying to fathom just how big that body of water is. We were also able to take a trip to a local farm where two busloads of refugees got to wander through an orchard, picking baskets of apples and picnicking together in a field, enjoying a beautiful fall day surrounded by a rural landscape very different from the urban environment where the refugees live and work now.

I not only made friendships with lovely, vibrant people during my internship, I felt like I was part of a big family, and that’s the effect I think the Growing Home project has on its participants. There are many who might think that a garden and some field trips are not important factors in a refugee’s life, in the scheme of things. I think I learned that the important thing is just that- building a “scheme of things” that involves more than just figuring out where to work and how to pay rent. The point is to facilitate growing a multi-dimensional life that includes richness, texture and fun. These things are easy to underestimate, but without them life becomes much less fulfilling, when in fact the point of resettlement is to offer a better life to people who have been denied that chance before. Through my experience with the project, I can see very clearly that Growing Home helps implement this important mission, and I’m excited to have been even a small part of such important work.

As a result, we formed a donation and gleaning network. Through this we were able to collect and distribute nearly 30,000 pounds of produce at a value of $47,977. We reached out and sourced from local farms, farmers markets, the produce distribution center and more. Our weekly fruit distribution from The FruitGuys has been able to continue throughout the winter. Every week we distribute over 700 pounds of fresh fruit and vegetables as a part of the Growing Home Community Gardens. The donations that the FruitGuys provide have provide much needed produce for the nutrition of over 90 Bhutanese and Burmese refugee families in South Philly. The weekly donation not only provides free produce – but also brings together the refugee community, connects them with neighbors, and provides us with a time to organize other community events addressing health, nutrition, and safety.

 Check out the great article by Michael Matza from the Philadelphia Inquirer about our Fruit Distribution. http://www.philly.com/philly/news/local/20120307_Donated_fruit_a_godsend_to_new_wave_of_immigrants.html

Video Clip http://www.philly.com/philly/video/BC1490017549001.html

Photos on this post courtest of Harvey Finkle

Sadly, In December the Growing Home farmers had to put their plots to sleep for the winter. I was unsure which farmers would come and brave the cold. However, the community proved to be amazing once again as over 45 people were ready to begin work at 9 am.  All of the fall greens (mustard, bhok choy, tatsoi, and kale) that had been sweetened by the frost were harvested and eagerly taken home. Tea (Chai) was brought out throughout the day and made on a stove in the garden to keep everyone warm.

Using the fall greens, many Nepali families make Gundruk for the winter – a preparation of mustard greens that are fermented in water and then dried. Throughout the winter they are used in soups, curries, and dhal. A sour taste that is hard not to love! Stay tuned for recipes! 

Due to the intensive planting and three season production the raised beds needed extra soil and compost for the next season. The community worked all day to fill the raised beds with a delivery from the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. Three generations joined in as grandmothers encouraged their grandkids to help and teens lifted the wheelbarrows for their parents.

Growing Home has come a long way from last winter when the lots were trash and weed filled! With help from dozens of volunteers and partner organizations Growing Home has been transformed to a productive urban farm and thriving community space. The space is a dream come true for the 70 families who have plots and many more who come to events and activities at Growing Home!

On Saturday October 15, the refugees took their last field trip of the year to go apple picking and picnicking! It was a huge success and a joyous day for all. 106 refugees rode together on two crowded school buses to Solly Brothers Farm in Ivyland, PA. Most of the group were regulars of Growing Home who have been a part of the urban farm since the start of the project earlier this year. However, there were new families, who have arrived over the past few weeks, that also joined the trip and connected with the community. It was a beautiful day and a great mix of families – elders and children, Nepali, Karen, and Chhin.

Although the season is not fully over, this trip represented the culmination of a great year at Growing Home and a celebration of the hard work of all those involved in the project. Adam Forbes, the farm manager for Growing Home, had visualized this trip earlier in the year.

“Since the start of the season, I’ve dreamed of taking our families to trips outside the city,” said Adam. “At the top of my list was apple picking in the fall. My fondest childhood memories are falls on the east coast and the times I got to go to an apple orchard or pumpkin patch. It was a true honor to be able to share this with our vibrant…refugee communities.”

The excitement of the participants was palpable at Growing Home an hour before the group was supposed to leave – a large crowd was already formed. The families rarely arrive so early for anything – so this meant a lot. They boarded the buses in the cool morning air and began their trip to the orchards. For many of the families, it was their first time outside of Philadelphia since they arrived in the United States. The entire bus ride they pointed out the views of the Delaware river and were so excited to see corn fields and peach orchards similar to the ones found in their homelands.

As soon as the group arrived at the farm, the families took off running. They loved the pumpkin patch but were thoroughly confused as to why pumpkins are not eaten, but are instead bought for decoration. Later, they all got to take a hayride to the apple orchard. Each person got bags to place their apples in and families worked together to climb apple trees to find the sweetest or tartest apple. Some families even found wild edibles hidden among the orchard to bring home. After Apple picking, playing in the orchards, and eating as many apples as they could – the group enjoyed a community picnic with an abundance of traditional foods.

Lunch turned into play time for both kids and adults – games from soccer to Frisbee and duck duck goose were played. Seeing the excitement of the families at the opportunity to get out of the city for a day reminded Adam how important these type of events are.

Adam elaborated saying, “While our urban farms provide a much needed green space in the city and place to relax and come together – it is not the same as escaping the city to wide open fields.”

Since Saturday, the families have been raving about the trip, some even declaring it their favorite day since they arrived. Some refugee children have been bringing apples from the trip to school for lunch.

Overall a great day and a wonderful way to enjoy each other’s company as the season winds down on the first year of Growing Home!

The newsletter article, although short, is a very good summary of the mission of Growing Home and why so many people have worked hard this past year to make the farm a reality. Through their effort, Growing Home is a space where people can cross language and cultural boundaries and come together for a common good. You can find the article here. If you are interested in knowing more about the Growing Home project or would like to support its mission, please contact the project coordinator here.

Coming Soon: The Farm Open House and Pictures!