CSA Enrollment is OPEN!

Here is some information about our CSA program, please contact me if you are interested in having a subscription!

What Is Community Supported Agriculture?

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is an alliance between farmers and adventurous eaters. Families and individuals who join the CSA receive a share of produce every week during the growing season (Mid-May thru October). In exchange, members sign a contract for the season, and agree to pick up their vegetables every week. Both partners share in the risks and rewards of small-scale farming: weather, insect damage, and bumper crops. The New Roots for Refugees CSA is in its second year, the season will most likely run from the middle of May to the middle of October and members will pay weekly on reception of their share.

“Who” is New Roots for Refugees CSA?

This is the second year for the New Roots for Refugees CSA, and these farmers have been growing in Kansas for up to four years now. All of the New Roots farmers are refugees; some are from Somalia, some are from Burma, some are from Burundi, and one is from Sudan. Most of the farmers from Somalia arrived in the United States in 2004, those from Burma began arriving in 2007. The New Roots for Refugees project provides an opportunity for refugee women to build on their strengths and experience while learning English, growing vegetables, and making money.
All of the farmers are women because this program grew out of Refugee Women’s Programming. Most refugee men take full-time positions in factories, hotels, or other places depending on their employment history. Farming income is supplemental to the family income.
As a CSA member, you will be building a partnership with one farmer. You will pick up vegetables from the same farmer every week. This gives the eater an opportunity to know who is cultivating your food and the refugee a chance to interact more long term with English speaking Americans. You are also welcome and encouraged to visit the farm and spend time working alongside your farmer!

What Is My Share of the Food?

The weekly food share will include 4-6 different veggies. The bag may be enough for a family of four, but if you really love your veggies, you may need to supplement the share from other sources. You will receive two New Roots for Refugees tote bags, which will be rotated each week when you pick up your share. Every week the share of produce will be different depending on the season. Here are examples of what a share might look like:
Spring: green peas (sugarsnap or snow), baby beets w/greens, green onions, carrots w/tops, lettuce, radishes, chives

Summer: tomatoes, peppers, eggplant or okra, melons, cucumbers, onions, green beans, squash/zucchini, basil, corn

Fall: lettuce, broccoli or cauliflower, cabbage, winter squash, swiss chard, carrots, potatoes, garlic, dill

Along with growing these traditional American veggies, New Roots for Refugee farmers grow a variety of ethnic crops that will also be a part of the CSA bag. If you don’t know what any of these are, or how to cook them, just ask!

Who Can Join?

Anyone can join! Last year, our CSA was a pilot program with limited membership. This year, we have opened registration to any adventurous eater that can commit to picking up every week (or have someone else pick is up from you).

What Does It Cost?

Usually, CSA members pay an initial deposit, with the balance being paid by the beginning or middle of the season. Because it is helpful for our growers to have consistent income throughout the season, New Roots CSA members will pay weekly upon reception of their share. The share costs $15 per week, which includes sales tax. Please pay in cash or check made out to your farmer.
Approx. 4-6 items depending on time of season.

Share cost: $300 for approximately 20 weeks (start date closer to the season)
Weekly payment: $15.00 per week, which includes sales tax.

How Does It Work?

For this season, there will be two pick up options. You can either join the CSA that picks up at the Brookside Farmer’s Market on Saturday mornings (8:00-1:00) OR the Overland Park Market on Wednesday mornings (7:30-1:00).
Season:20 Weeks – May through October. We will be in contact as the start of CSA pickup approaches with more finalized details.

How Do I Join?

Sign up by contacting Rachel and saying that you want a spot! She will send get some basic contact information from you so that she can stay in touch. We are limited to 40 shares in 2009. Membership will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.

What if it is a terrible year weather wise?

Will we still get our vegetables? Part of the joy of supporting local agriculture is that we are subject to the whims of Kansas weather. We do our best to guarantee a steady and generous supply of all types of vegetables, but one of the lessons agriculture teaches us is just how little control we have in the world! If we come up short on individual crops, we will try to be creative, but our intent is to give you vegetables grown seasonally on our farm. This also means that when there is an abundance of a particular crop, you can expect larger quantities.

What if we don't like all the produce we get?

Part of what we hope to encourage is an adventurous approach to eating vegetables. While tomatoes will always be a favorite, bitter greens and crunchy fennel and different herbs add depth and breadth to meals. We’d like to encourage you to get creative with your cooking; we also hope to develop recipes based on your farmer’s ethnic cooking to share with you as we develop our program.
What is this leafy purple thing? Sometimes customers don't know what a particular vegetable or herb is, much less how to use it. We recommend a two-step approach to this. First, do an internet search or crack open your cook book for creative ideas on how to prepare it. Second, give Rachel a call to find out what it is.

What if I can't pick up my produce?

Please make arrangements with a friend to pick up your vegetables if you can. If you absolutely cannot be there, give us a heads up! You can take a double share some week when you need extra produce. You are financially responsible for every week, so if you miss one, you’ll have to pay double the next week. If you do not pick up your share twice in a row with no warning, you forfeit your subscription.

How do the New Roots for Refugees tote bags work?

We rotate the bags each week so that we aren't using so many of those darned plastic grocery bags. At the end of the season, we will return both the bags to you.

I don't like beets. How do I make sure I don't get any in my bag??

Unfortunately, we can't accommodate individual likes and dislikes even though we would like to. We suggest making arrangements with a friend, neighbor, or co-worker to take the vegetables you’re not so fond of.

How can I get more involved in the farm?

We love having people come to visit and to volunteer! You should always call a day in advance, so that we can plan to offer you a good experience. We can arrange group tours if desired.
Other questions? Contact Rachel Bonar at rbonar@ccsks.org or (913) 909-1027.

New Roots Recap!

Objects in motion stay in motion, objects at rest stay at rest...
And I have been the latter.
As our season has drawn to a close, I've slowed down a bit... and its been nice! Sorry for the lack of updates, I'll try and make up for it today. So, let's take it back to October!

At the end of October, we harvested for the last time and attended our last market. This is Pelagie with some of her sweet potatoes. They were small, but really tasty.


Rukia had TONS of greens and spent much of the day sitting at the salad spinner.
Rukia is consistantly joyful at the farm.

Khadijo and her flock help clean their greens.

Aye Aye and her last green beans of the season.

At the end of October, we had the privilege of hosting the National RAPP (Refugee Agricultural Partnership Program) Workshop. Colleagues from across the US came to Kansas City to talk about Refugees and Agriculture. It was a great few days, and I've got pages of notes to prove it. I'm excited to be a part of a supportive network interested in growing good food and empowering refugees.

The first two days were spent inside hearing from one another about our projects and the lessons we have learned. The third day we headed over to KCCUA to learn about their high tunnels and community greenhouse.

Katherine shows RAPP participants around the greenhouse!

Daniel talks about the different high tunnels at KCCUA.

Showing high tunnell construction.

Some of the participants aboard the Catholic Charities bus!

The last night we all went to Al Towfiq, a Somali restaurant here in Kansas City. The food was plentiful and tasty, and it was great to be together in a non-formal setting.

More Al Towfiq...


After the RAPP conference ended, we got back to work and had individual conferences with all of the farmers. We talked about all of the good things that happened this year, and what they want to do different next year.

Our growers workshops started at the end of November. All of our farmers from last year and our four new farmers have been included in the workshops, which have focused on field maps, marketing and the basics of growing vegetables. Its been incredible to see how much the women's knowledge has grown in just one year. I cannot wait to get planting again...

(ok, maybe I can :)

Meet two of our new farmers:

Zawadi Daniel is from Burundi and lived in a refugee camp in Tanzania. She cares for her niece and nephew, Mariam and Ntibi who are in elementary school. Zawadi had a wonderful community garden plot, and I am thrilled that she will be going to market this year. She is an extremely warm person, and is loved by everyone that knows her. Zawadi lives in Juniper Gardens and will able to walk to the farm everyday.

Kabibi is also from Burundi via Tanzania. She lives in Juniper Gardens as well with her two sons, Felix and Elias. Kabibi is a wonderful singer and a great gardener. Her plot last year was meticulously cared for, and I'm looking forward to helping her make money at the farmer's market.

Look for bios of our other new farmers soon!
Merry Christmas from New Roots.

Maku's Nepali Curry
The best part about this curry recipe is that you can add whatever veggies you have on hand!

Basic Ingredients:

• Vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 small sweet red pepper, chopped (seeds removed)
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• Salt to taste
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1-2 teaspoons cumin seed (or 1/2 that amount of fresh ground cumin)
• 1-2" section of ginger
• 1 medium tomato, chopped
• 2 or more types of fresh vegetables

Maku's favorite vegetable additions:

• 1 medium potato, peeled and chopped thinly
• 1/2 lauka gourd, sliced thinly and quartered
• 5-6 Thai or Asian eggplants, stems removed & chopped
• 2 bitter melons, thinly sliced
• 1-2 Asian cucumbers or luffa gourds, cut into 2" pieces and then chopped lengthwise
• 1 small blue pumpkin, thinly sliced
• 1 handful shell beans

Preheat oil in pan on stove, then stir in chopped vegetables (except tomato).  Add turmeric and salt, stirring in water as needed to prevent sticking.  Crush garlic, ginger and cumin seed in a mortar and pestle or food processor.  Stir into pan.  When vegetables are tender, add chopped tomato and saute a few more minutes.  Serve with rice.

Thanks for the inspiration Maku - It was so delicious that I forgot 

to take a picture until it was almost too late! 

Burmese Stir-Fried Pac Choi
Here is a simple recipe from some Burmese New Roots farmers.

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 6 cups pac choi
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
  Heat the oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Sauté the garlic for 2 minutes. Add the pac choi and cook for 2 minutes, tossing to cook evenly. Add the soy sauce, salt and oyster sauce and toss to coat.  Cook for another minute. 
  Serve hot as a side dish or over rice.
  Serves 4 to 6.
  
  
  
  
  

Khadijo's Ambaga Stew

New Roots farmer, Khadijo,was happy to share her basic stew recipe. It calls for a number of veggies that are commonly grown here as well as in her native Somalia!

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 bunch pac choi (or swiss chard, or any other greens!)
• 1/4 onion
• 8 medium-size okra
• 1 chicken bouillon cube
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 green pepper
• 1 medium potato
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin

Remove stems from pac choi.  Roll/gather leaves tightly; chop cross-wise into julienne strips, about 1/8" wide.  Heat oil in a medium-sized sauce pan. Stir in pac choi, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.  Add chicken bouillon cube.  Slice onion and add tomatoes, crushing slightly with the back of a spoon.  Cut okra into about 1/2" slices, add to pan.  Chop green pepper into small pieces, and add to pan.   Add cumin, cover and simmer 10-15 minutes.  Peel potato & cut into sticks about 1/4" thick and 1/4" wide; add along with 1 cup water; stir well and cook until potato is tender.

Nyakang's Kup Gomin
(Sudanese Collard Greens)

• 1 bunch collards, de-stemmed and finely chopped
• 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 5 large garlic cloves, crushed with 2 teaspoons salt mixed in
• 1/2 lb stew meat
• 1 lb beef shank (preferably with bone)
• 1 beef bouillon cube
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 3 cups water
• 3 inches of ginger root, peeled & grated
• 2 hot peppers (optional)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder

Put oil and onions in 2-quart pot and sauté for 2 minutes. Add water and cook for 10 more minutes until the onions are soft, then mash them with a potato masher.  Cut meat into 3/4 inch cubes and add with shank bones to onion and water mixture.  Add seasoning ingredients to the the meat.  Cook for 10 more minutes, then add the collards and let simmer for another 20-30 minutes until beef and collards are tender.  Nyakang also makes a large pot of pearl-like cornflour balls, but for convenience we suggest serving your Kup Gomin with couscous, rice, or even cornbread. 

Sauteed Water Spinach

Here is a recipe from our Karen farmers Dena Tu, Lay Htoo, and Beh Paw Gaw:

Sauteed Water Spinach

• One large bunch water spinach, de-stemmed
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons chicken base (powder form)
• 6-8 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon golden mountain seasoning sauce
• 3 ounces soybean paste

Heat vegetable oil in a pan on medium heat. Put everything except golden mountain seasoning in hot pan until thoroughly wilted.  Add Golden mountain seasoning, serve with steamed rice.