Oak Park Community Council

Our Featured Speaker : Amy Lint of The New Roots Community Farm, at Chollas Pkwy and 54th, is a 2.3 acre parcel of land that provides growing space to 80 refugees, new-immigrants and neighbors. The land is owned by the City of San Diego and is leased and managed by the Inter­national Rescue Committee (IRC).

A majority of the growers at the New Roots Community Farm are refugees and new immigrants and many were farmers in their home country. The farm has par­ticipants from Kenya, Somalia, Guatamala, Mexico, Uganda, Cambodia, Vietnam and Sudan and the site has truly become a demonstration of global farming practices and varieties.

Truly, this is a project that has only just begun and we invite you to get involved! This November, we are having a tool drive and can use any used or new garden tools. For more information please contact:

Amy Lint

New Roots Community Farm Pro­gram, IRC

619-641-7510 x244 amy.lint@theirc.org

New Roots Garden continued

Beyond food production, New Roots has also become a hub for community building, youth devel­opment and environmental educa­tion. In only a few short months, more than 200 individuals have volunteered at the farm, 20 youth have interned for more than 160 hours each, and participants have attended workshops on water con­servation, organic methods, soil fertility and compo sting.

Now that the construction phase of  the project is coming to a close, the IRC is turning towards "phase two" projects including the instal­lation of public art, environmental education activities, and economic development. Our goals for 2010 include, providing tours and on­site environmental education for 500 residents and area school chil­dren, increasing yield on individ­ual plots and increasing knowledge of eco-friendly practices, begin­ning restoration of the adjacent Chollas Creek and installing sign­age that links organic food produc­tion to ecosystem rehabilitation; and supporting 15 New Roots par­ticipants in farming enterprises on additional acreage.

Further, participants have reported that being at the farm every day has improved their mental health and increased engagement in broader community organizing ac­tivities.