If you drive down Pond Street on the Boise Bench in the spring, you’ll see neighborhood homes give way to the large open fields of a Global Gardens community farm, one of seven in the area. Dozens of plots are crosshatched in different colors and textures. In some, emerald and sage green sprouts and scapes waver in a soft wind, while others are tilled and expectant, their brown earth as chunky and rich-looking as stew. Below the surface brew beats, potatoes, onions, lettuce, kale, cabbages, char, and more.
People seem to sprout from the plots too, some wearing t-shirts and jeans and others wearing brightly patterned, traditional African dresses. They bend and stroke leaves, examine clumps of dirt, tug on exposed irrigation lines, and plant seeds in the cool ground. Beneath a shady line of trees, a woman weaves a garment. Small children play nearby, their coos and giggles carrying across the plots.
One farmer emerges from a plot with a wide grin. This is Albert Loufoua. Originally from Congo Brazzaville, he and his family lived in a refugee camp in Gabon for seven years before resettling in Boise. Loufoua, who has been with Global Gardens for four years, is one of the beloved farmers who brings vegetables to the Boise Farmers Market each week during the summer. He is also the worm manager at the Global Gardens Wormfarm.
The Wormfarm is housed in a large shed lined with coolers for storing vegetables. In a wide, raised wood box sits a slurry of earth, straw, and vegetable bits. Loufoua pushed aside the top layer to reveal loamy, dark compost in which dozens of bright red worms coil. “What can you do with the extra food?” he said, gesturing to a pile of rotting crop leftovers. “I feed the worms, so nothing is lost.”
Global Gardens’ mission is to support farmers from around the world, like Loufoua, by providing access to land, training, and the local market. In Boise, vacant lots are transformed into farms, allowing farmers to engage in work that brings them joy, provides nutritious food for their community, and offers a living wage. In addition to produce sold at farmers’ markets, 135 kitchen gardens directly feed local residents. The organization is a program of the Idaho Office of Refugees and Jannus, Inc., receives funding from the United States Department of Agriculture and the Idaho Department of Agriculture, and land-partners with the city of Boise.
If you talk to Global Gardens’ program director—Benjamin Brock, a rugged man with keen eyes—he’s likely to expound on the vital role of local agriculture for a healthy community, sustainable food sourcing, and accessible open space. As he surveyed the busy fields, Brock remarked, “For these people, Boise is home, and they are citizens. Yet they are resilient and survivors. [These] farmers don’t work for Global Gardens, Global Gardens supports farmers.”
Global Gardens also organizes wholesale produce partnerships with local restaurants like KIN, Redfeather, Diablo and Sons, Lost Grove, and Saltbrush. Another important source of revenue for the farmers comes from Community Supported Agriculture subscriptions, commonly referred to as CSAs. By committing to buying a regular share of produce, Boiseans can receive a monthly box of seasonal vegetables.
“When the fields start erupting,” said Brock, “it’s hard to keep up.”
Whatever is not sold at the CSA or Boise Farmers Market is donated to organizations who serve those that might not have access to local foods, like The City of Good, Idaho Food Banks, Boys & Girls Clubs, and senior centers. Global Gardens also welcomes visits from local schools, and has recently partnered with the Idaho Women’s Charitable Foundation and Boise State University’s Research Nexus for Sustainability.
How can you support Global Gardens’ refugee farmers?
“Participate in your local food systems,” said Brock.
“Come volunteer,” invited Loufoua, as his hands sifted the treasured compost.
To donate, volunteer, or purchase a CSA, email [email protected] or call 208-955-6532.
