Immigrant farmers in San Diego give a hand
to even newer refugees

In August, California FarmLink had the opportunity to present on the topics of access to land and money, production and marketing strategies at workshops for two groups of refugee farmers in San Diego County.
 
We collaborated with the International Rescue Committee (IRC), an organization providing assistance to refugees who have fled from war or disaster. IRC staff in San Diego are helping East Africans from Somalia to settle, find emergency food assistance, and health services, and rebuild their lives. Many of these refugees were small farmers in their homeland, and are now able to take advantage of the IRC's agriculture training through the Refugee Entrepreneurial Agriculture Program (REAP).
 
REAP includes an initial four-month session where growers practice hands-on organic agriculture as well as classroom training. In a second three-month session, participants have access to land in the Pauma Valley, north of San Diego, which IRC leases from Tierra Miguel Foundation (http://www.tierramiguelfarm.org/). Participants select the crops and number of acres they feel comfortable with, getting help with transportation to the farm and with marketing to local restaurants and CSAs.
 
Eighteen Somalians attended FarmLink's workshop with IRC providing translation. "A big challenge for program participants", said REAP Program Coordinator Jaime Garza, "is identifying resources and land. The workshop provided a lot of good information in the transfer from training to working their own farm enterprises: understanding what a lease agreement is, what to look for in a lease, knowing that when the time comes, FarmLink can assist with the lease process." Garza has a background in ag business and viticulture and was an extensionist in Central America for two years.
 
The second workshop was put on by volunteers with Sewa International's Bhutanese Refugee Empowerment Project, attended by 15 aspiring Bhutanese farmers. Workshop presenters included Garza who described the REAP program, Ramiro Lobo - Small Farm Advisor with UC Coop Extension in San Diego, and Steve Schwartz of California FarmLink. This was the first agricultural training the Bhutanese had received since their recent arrival to this country.
 
"It was impressive", said Schwartz, "to see immigrants who've not been here all that long   be so willing to help the more recent immigrants get their hands back in the dirt, and farming in San Diego County."

Taking Mentorship Orientation on the road
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From the Executive Director

In the month of August, I had two memorable opportunities to help new immigrants advance explore and advance their farming goals. Working with two new partners - International Rescue Committee (IRC) and SEWA International, I was invited to talk to these immigrants on financing options, land access strategies, and FarmLink services. The topics were familiar, but the audiences unique: ethnic Nepali refugees from the small nation of Bhutan, and Somali-Bantu refugees. Bhutan, nestled in the Himalayas, has a very different type of agriculture than the new immigrants will be considering here. Still, working with Ramiro Lobo of UC Cooperative Extension we were able to discuss options for getting started with the crop diversity that can be grown in San Diego.
 
What struck me most that evening is the diverse culture that is evolving in America. One of the workshops was organized by a group of first generation Indian immigrants who were apparently doing well in industries that require high education levels. These immigrants - volunteers with SEWA like Srinavasan Tak and Barath Ramaswamy - are following an old American tradition by volunteering their time to help a group of recent immigrants 'pull themselves up by their own bootstraps'.
 
On the next night, I presented to Somali-Bantu farmers participating in Tierra Miguel Foundation's incubator farm (arrangement facilitated by the IRC). It was the first night of Rhamadan, and the last hour and a half of a day of fasting, still these farmers were engaged and hungry for information that would help them build a life in their new home. The program manager who had arranged this, Jaime Garza, was born and raised in a small town in the southern San Joaquin Valley. After a stint in the Peace Corps, Garza found himself helping Somali's. Ramiro, Rhepa, Garza and their colleagues represent America at its finest; people reaching out to help others in America's melting pot, to build the best quality life experience possible.
 
I'm proud that FarmLink's team plays a part in this and we look forward to more opportunities where we can be of service.
 
On another note, I want to recognize transitions occurring at California FarmLink - we're hiring new staff to better serve clients and advance our mission. We will sorely miss Andrea Krout, who took a position with a public relations firm. Andrea brought knowledge, enthusiasm, a great work ethic, and an expert's understanding of livestock to our organization. We wish her the best, and know she will continue her involvement in the agriculture community as both producer and advocate.
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