AALV: The Association of Africans Living in Vermont, Inc.

The local USDA Farm Service Agency has provided invaluable and excellent support to the New Farms for New Americans (NFNA) project this year.  In addition to running training sessions, linking farmers to land and marketing opportunities, providing business technical assistance and micro loans to farmers in the program, they have won donations, and $6,490.00 of funds to be put directly to the project. Thank you Farm Service Agency for your efforts to provide equal outreach and opportunity to all members of Vermont’s farming community!

AALV is also pleased to announce that New Farms for New Americans just won a significant award of funding from the US Department of Agriculture’s Outreach and Assistance to Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers Program (OASDFR).  You can read the announcement of the OASDFR awards here: http://www.AALV is also pleased to announce that New Farms for New Americans also just won a significant award of funding from the US Department of Agriculture’s Outreach and Assistance to Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers Program (OASDFR).  You can read the announcement of the OASDFR awards here: http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentidonly=true&contentid=2010%2F06%2F0310.xml.    //

//

New Farms for New Americans farmers are vending at five local farmers markets each week.  We’ll also be selling at the new South Burlington Farmers Market.  Visiting the New Farms for New Americans stand at farmers market to say hello or purchase vegetables and prepared food is a great way to support the New Farms project. We love to see friendly faces.

Tuesdays: Old North End Farmers Market, 3:00-6:30

Wednesdays: Burlington South End Farmers Market 3:30-6:30 and New North End Farmers Market, 3:00-6:30

Thursdays: Winooski Farmers Market, 3:30-6:30

Saturdays: Williston Farmers Market, 10:00-1:00

One Sunday a Month: South Burlington Farmers Market at Healthy Living, August 23 and September 20 9:00-1:00

Pitchfork Farm and Arethusa Collective Farm hosted some visits from new American farmers in July.  The Intervale farmers showed the refugees some of how they run their farms and businesses.  We had commiserating conversations about the tomato and potato blight.  Thanks to the Intervale farmers for your warm hospitality and great example!

The New Farms for New Americans project has some new faces, and many are from Asia!  The Association of Africans Living in Vermont has opened its services to all refugees.   Therefore, this year 15 Bhutanese households are trying their hand at farming and food businesses in the United States, as part of the New Farms for New Americans Project.

Most Bhutanese in Vermont were formally refugees in Nepal.  The Bhutanese were resettled in Vermont, as well as many other location in the U.S., less than a year ago.  All of the New Farmers have extensive agricultural experience and we are excited to see what they are able to do here.  Wish them well with their new business enterprises!

New Farms for New Americans is back with 50 refugee farmers. These farmers are from Somalia, Congo, Burundi and Bhutan. They grow organic vegetables on individual plots and sell at five local farmers markets. Local businesses are also planning on buying from the project, inculding Magnolia Bistro, the Ice House Restaurant, American Flatbread, Healthy Living and City Market.

New Farms for New Americans farmers are looking forward to bringing fresh, organic food home to their families and earning money.  It looks to be a great year!

The New Farms for New Americans project had its biggest farmers’ market sales of the season tonight at the Old North End Farmers’ Market at the H.O. Wheeler School.  That must have been because of the good looking veggies the farmers have grown over the course of the project – nice work, New American farmers!

The New Farms for New Americans three-acre farm plot was threatened late last week by unseasonable rain and localized flooding.  Luckily, only a small portion of the plot was affected, and nearly all of the lettuce, kale, broccoli, tomatoes, and other vegetables survived with no damage. 

The produce is growing well, and wholesale buyers have begun to drop in on the New American farmers as they work their land.  To learn more about the New Farms for New Americans project or to contribute to its success, please contact the program manager, Josie Weldon, at josieweldon.aalv@yahoo.com. 

Hello, New Farms for New Americans friends! Project crops are now being sold at the Old North End farmers’ market on Tuesday afternoons, at the Fletcher Allen Hospital farmers’ market on Thursday afternoons, and the Winooski farmers’ market also on Thursday afternoons. Our crops are organically and locally grown, on Burlington’s Intervale. It’s good to know where your food is coming from, and it’s good to know the good people who grow that food, like Fatuma Ali of Burlington at the Old North End farmers’ market earlier today!

New Farms for New Americans participants have found success farming their three acres of land at Burlington’s Ethan Allen Homestead.  The first crops are nearly ready for harvest: radishes, lettuce, chard, scallions, and various African greens.  Look for our farmers at the Old North End, Winooski, and Fletcher Allen farmers’ markets starting next week!

We’ve talked about farmer friend Arthur Meade in earlier posts.  But today we’re pleased to announce that his service to the African community is featured in this week’s Seven Days.  Arthur’s halal custom slaughterhouse fills a void in many area Africans’ customary diets.  Members of our community can travel to Arthur’s farm in Morrisville to prepare their own fresh meet for their friends and families – in a culturally and religiously appropriate manner.  Arthur accepts food stamps and is available on a moment’s notice.  We can’t thank Arthur Meade enough!