Estilo Pilipino

On September 18th New Roots for Refugees will benefit from Estillo Pilipino: A Fashion Show for a Cause. The event will feature three top award-winning Filipino designers and local models, showing a modern take on traditional Filipino dress. We are excited to be part of this event! Join us for an afternoon of hors d'oeuvres, fashion, and fundraising in the Leatherwood Ballroom at the Sheraton Overland Park Hotel.

A big thank you to Gigi for her efforts to promote intercultural exchange among Kansas City's diverse ethnic communities and support of our program! To buy tickets & for more information please contact Gigi Mateo directly at gmateo (at) ehh-inc.com or (913) 526.0106.

Farewell New Roots!

A little market lovin' at Juniper Gardens. Beh Paw and I.

This summer flew by, and as I am sitting here writing this and processing this summer's experience with New Roots, I can't help but already feel nostalgic. This summer's experience was rich, filled with many learning moments within the Nonprofit sector and several deep friendships I am sad to leave today. I was the girl updating twitter, facebook, photos, the website, and newsletter, which was a joy to update our supporters on exciting happenings at our farm. I appreciate the freedom Rachel gave me to form my summer role into what I envisioned; a little taste of everything. From going to market, filling out sale records, e-mailing, being at the farm, booking interpretors, taking pictures, and even laminating name tags; I loved it all. I wanted my first experience in a Nonprofit to consist of a little of everything, and it was perfectly fitting to spend a couple hours in the office and the rest of the time engaging in friendships with the people a part of the program. I grew a deeper understanding of the lives of newly placed refugees. The language barriers and cultural differences that became frustrating at times when trying to balance a life in America while still clinging to the roots of their culture. I learned a little Swahili and Karen and laughed more times then I can recall. Actions spoke louder then words throughout the summer (with verbal communication being a hindrance at times) and all those actions were done so in love for one another. I will deeply miss trips to the bank, Ma Than's pranks, Pelagie's hand painted t-shirts, the taste of fresh sweet tomatoes, Rachel and Emily's guidance, and all the other beautiful people within the New Roots community I got to know. Thanks for a wonderful summer, I admire all of those who are supporters of the New Roots program through facebook, twitter, CSA, and the community. I can assure you your time, energy, and support is being spent wisely :) Keep it up!

With Love,

Tori Litardo

Summer Staff Marianne Says Goodbye

A fun photo shoot with Ma Than, Nyakang, Marianne, and Pelagie

After leaving college in Iowa in June, I took a Greyhound bus headed south not knowing much about Kansas City, or what to expect from my Summer Staff job with the New Roots for Refugees program. Little did I know that I would spend the summer working at the Northeast, KCK, and Brookside farmers’ markets, attending workshops on harvesting and fall planting, helping farmers get produce ready for market, and making trips to the bank, Homeland Security, and the rubber band store! Since my first days of work early in the summer, I have learned a great deal about the lives of refugees in the U.S., and the ways that sustainable agriculture can improve the lives of everyone involved in it.

Never having worked with refugees before, I was overwhelmed by the range of difficulties facing those who arrive in the U.S., including language barriers, change in diet, change in climate, learning to navigate a new city, and of course the loss of community and family support. While the women I worked with left much behind when they came to the U.S., New Roots allows them to reconnect with an important aspect of their past- farming. Through the program, New Roots farmers are empowered to use skills that they already have to support their families economically, while forging connections in their new communities with other farmers, CSA friends, and customers. Customers and CSA friends benefit from farmers’ labor when they receive delicious organic produce. In addition, the ethnic crops grown by New Roots farmers that have been largely unavailable in KC before this point, like m’chicha, chin baung, and bitter melon, diversify American customers’ diets and allow Asian and African people living in the area to enjoy produce from their home countries.  

New Roots for Refugees demonstrates perfectly how local, sustainable farming can enrich a community, and the lives of farmers and customers alike. As the summer and my time here in Kansas City draws to a close, I think of the ways that working with the program has improved my life as well, especially in the friendships I have made with farmers and coworkers. I will miss talking and laughing with them, and learning from them- about urban agriculture, vegetables, cooking, cultural difference, and life!

Happy Monday!

Despite the rainy weather we had on and off throughout the weekend, we have been doing well in sales at market and had a blast at this weekend's Farm Aid event! We had a booth set up Friday evening and all day Saturday handing out temporary New Roots tattoos, playing vegetables guessing games, taking pictures with vegetable Willie Nelson, and talking to folks about our program and how it works. We had several people stop by and we felt so honored to be a part of this weekend's event. Thanks to all of you who came out to support us this weekend. It was awesome getting to know people as passionate about local and organic produce as we are! Veggie Willie is below for those of you who haven't seen him yet!

and here is the real Willie Nelson. We saw him at the press conference on Saturday!

Support Local Businesses that Buy from New Roots Farmers!

New Roots farmers enter the program with a significant amount of agriculture experience. Growing up in agrarian societies, cultivating the land is a natural extension of their culture. Many of these farmers have experience selling produce as well. So while American farmers’ markets are a little different to most, they aren’t completely foreign either. Other marketing outlets however, like wholesaling can be a little trickier for these farmers to navigate.

This year we have been able to expand our wholesaling markets, working with advanced farmers on all aspects of the exchange from invoicing to pricing and communication. This is new for us, and we are grateful to have a community of buyers willing to support us during this learning phase. Not only are they making an effort to buy local, but they are making an extra effort to work with refugees, teaching them about local marketing options. We will occasionally be featuring these fantastic local delights on our blog, so check them out!

We want to give a big friendly shout-out to restaurateur Todd Schulte, of Genessee Royale Bistro in the Stockyard District, and Happy Gillis in Columbus Park. He has been buying New Roots produce regularly all season, often featuring it at Genessee Royale’s monthly Grill Dinners.

Both Genessee Royale & Happy Gillis are less than 5 miles from the farm – which means ultra-fresh food on your plate! So take a break from cooking this week & support local businesses that share your same values of buying local, sustainable food from New Roots farmers.

Eating Seasonally through the Winter

For many of us trying to eat seasonally, what is easy in July is daunting in December. However, for the well prepared eater, the exact opposite is true!

Hot & creamy heirloom tomato soup served with a grilled cheese (plenty of local options for this one!) sandwich doesn't sound so delicious as we sweat away today, but most of us will feel differently come a cozy winter afternoon 6 months from now.

New Roots supporters can all agree that fresh, organically grown food tastes better. So let us face this winter challenge together. Food preservation is making a comeback & with some basic tools it is accessible to everyone. The USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning is a great starting point – from the simplicity of freezing green beans (blanch 3 minutes, drain, and seal in a freezer bag!) to the artfulness of canned salsas & chutney. Not only will you eat well, but canned goods make an inexpensive, thoughtful gift come the holiday season.

For those wanting a little extra guidance I recommend the BADSEED homesteading classes. And don't forget your local extension agents. These accessible experts may be reached here.

Whether you are a regular at market or a New Roots CSA member, I recommend stocking up this summer. Your chilly winter afternoons will be richer & your dollars will have been spent supporting a local family as opposed to leaving our community. It's win-win!

CSA members, be sure to contact Emily or your farmer if you would like to place a bulk order. As CSA friends you are eligible for a wholesale price when purchasing items in bulk!

Use Up Our Tomatoes!

Hopefully this is a summer inspirational recipe that will motivate you to come buy some tomatoes at your local market, we have so many! Great summer treat for parties and appetizers. Enjoy the recipe below.

Bruschetta with Tomato and Basil
recipe brought to you by: simplyrecipes.com
Ingredients:
6 or 7 tomatoes (about 1 1/2 lbs)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
6-8 fresh basil leaves, chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 baguette French bread or similar Italian bread
1/4 cup olive oil

Preparation: Prepare the tomatoes first. Parboil the tomatoes for one minute in boiling water that has just been removed from the burner. Drain. Using a sharp small kitchen knife, remove the skins of the tomatoes (if the tomatoes are too hot, you can protect your finger tips by rubbing them with an ice cube between tomatoes). Once the tomatoes are peeled, cut them in halves or quarters and remove the seeds and juice from their centers. Also cut out and discards the stem area. Make sure there is a top rack in place in your oven. Turn on the oven to 450 degrees to preheat. While the oven is heating, chop up the tomatoes finely. Put tomatoes, garlic, 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, vinegar in a bowl and mix. Add the chopped basil. Add the salt and pepper to taste. Slice the baguette on a diagonal about 1/2 inch thick slices. Coat one side of each slice with olive oil using a pastry brush. Place on a cooking sheet, olive oil side down. You will want to toast them in the top rack in your oven, so you may need to to these in batches depending on the size of your oven. Once the oven has reached 450 degrees, place a tray of break slices in the oven on the top rack. Toast for 5-7 minutes, until the bread just begins to turn golden brown. Alternatively you can toast the bread without coating it in the olive oil first. Toast on the griddle for 1 minute on each side. Take a sharp knife and score each slice 3 times. Rub some garlic in the slices and drizzle half a teaspoon of olive oil on each slice. This is the more traditional method of making bruschetta. Align the bread on a serving platter, olive oil side up. Either place the tomato topping in a bowl separately for people to serve themselves over the bread, or place some topping on each slice of bread and serve. If you top each slice with the tomatoes, do it right before serving or the bread may get soggy. Serves 6-10.

Note: Canning season for tomatoes is also approaching. To learn how to can your own tomatoes, click here.