BY MEGAN REUTHER
WEST DES MOINES, Iowa –It started as a vision from former refugees, who wanted to get back to their roots and grow their own produce here in Iowa. The dream is now a reality on the Global Greens Farm.
The Bhandari family works together growing produce on a plot of land.
"We are happy to have land and grow our own produce, especially the crops, the vegetables we don't find in the grocery story we like to eat, our cultural crops," Tika Bhandari said.
You'll find potatoes, tomatoes, lettuce varieties and more on the 100 x 100 plot in West Des Moines.
“My dad was a farmer back in Bhutan for 18 acres of land," Tika said.
The Bhandaris are from Bhutan. They spent 18 years in a refugee camp in Nepal before coming to Des Moines. They are now U.S. citizens. They started growing produce on the Global Greens Farm three years ago. The Global Greens Farm is part of a program through Lutheran Services in Iowa to help refugee farmers get back to their roots.
"In 2013, Valley Church and Valley Community Center provided this land for us, and it started with a vision from former refugees who farmed in their home country and had a desire to get back to the land and grow food again here," said LSI Director of Refugee Community Services Nick Wuertz.
Farmers sell the food at farmers markets, the Iowa Food Co-op and through community supported agriculture.
