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| Urban farm in Decatur gives African refugees chance to grow favorites |
DECATUR—On one side, there is the ongoing commotion of the busy MARTA trains. On another side, customers stream to and fro nearby storefronts and grocery stores, but in the middle of Sams Street in Decatur, farmer Goselyne Kazabukeye finds peace in growing mchicha, “African basil,” okra greens, patty pan squash and other vegetables that remind her of her native Burundi.
“It can get hot, but I like seeing the vegetables I work on grow because I am proud of my work,” said Kazabukeye, who arrived in the U.S. in 2007. “In our country, farming is so important that you start when you are 12 and if you are a girl who cannot farm, a man will never look at you to marry.” Every Saturday morning, Kazabukeye and 21 other women continue their country’s tradition by farming for hours at a time in the sun. Some work barefoot, farming the land until they can reap their harvests, a process that takes about six months. The vegetables that they grow—including familiar varieties like those found in the U.S. such as corn, peas and sweet potatoes—typically are served along with Burundi vegetables as meals for the women’s families. “They take this very seriously. If one of the women cannot make it to the farm, they almost always send someone from their home to represent them. They really know how to make the most out of what they grow to help feed their families,” said Robin Chanin, coordinator of Our Community Farm Project. Chanin says the year-old, start-up urban farm is not only a place for the women to grow food, but to exchange farming knowledge and develop a greater understanding of farming in the Atlanta area. Chanin also takes the women on field trips and holds workshops for them. “Working in partnership with Refugee Family Services, our mission is to provide these women with practical farm experience, workshops and trips to local farmers markets in order to create new opportunities in production, distribution and marketing,” Chanin said. The journey from Africa has led most of the Burundi refugees who work to find jobs at chicken cutting plants and other factory-based jobs throughout the state. For many of them, farming is the only tie they have to home. “Where I grew up, we were farmers. We didn’t worry about putting gas in a car or going to a job like people do here. We farmed and lived off of what we grew,” said Nzigimana Obede, who works as a manager of the farm. “We work hard, but we love to be here. It reminds us of the good things about our homes in Burundi.” The community farm project is located on 121 Sams Street in Decatur. For more information on the program, visit http://ourcommunityfarmproject.blogspot.com/ or call 404-299-6217.
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