It's tomato season! With the farms overflowing with tomatoes, the best way to enjoy the bounty while it lasts is to process them into your favorite sauce to use fresh or to can or freeze. Pick up a Fresh Start Farms Tomato Sauce Kit or Salsa Kit this week to enjoy these tomatoes now and into the cooler months!
Keep reading to meet your farmer, get a sneak peak at your farm share and fruit share, and for a featured recipe, cheese, meat, and pantry items!
Meet Your Farmer
Sylvain Bukasa I am a member of the New American Farmers Cooperative, immigrated from the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2006 due to violence and uncertainty. I resettled in Manchester, NH with my wife and son.
In my home country, my family grew vegetables, flowers and raised chickens.In 2012, I began farming in Dunbarton, NH through ORIS's farmer training program. I initially started farming in NH to grow food for my household, but over the past eight years I invested into my farm business and increased my production and sales. I sell my vegetables through the CSA, low-income senior citizen share, and wholesale contracts. I harvest and deliver my product the same day for a true farm-to-table experience.
I want my customers to know that although farming is hard work, it's my passion. I enjoy sharing gardening advice with my customers. My goal for my farm is to install an irrigation system to reduce labor and get better harvest. As a refugee farming in NH, our access to capital and credit is limited. We need customers and investors who can support infrastructure development on our farm. Thank you!
Gov. Sununu visited the Barnstead Farmers Market last week and here he is with Fresh Start farmer Godance Nbadumvirubusa! Read the full article here.
Farm Share Messages
Home Delivery Notice: When you select home delivery for your order, please be sure to leave a cooler out for Ali. He will place your food in it's liner and take the box back. If you haven't added any delivery instructions to your account, please do so we can make sure we get your food to the right place. All orders must be picked up during pick up site time. Any orders not picked up at the close of the site will be donated to families who need food.
Please continue to practice Covid-19 social distancing and wear a face mask at pick up.
If you are missing any items in your share please let us know as soon as possible at farmshare@refugeesuccess.org. We will credit your account and it is helpful as a training mechanism for our team.
Highlights from this week's bounty
Fadumo & Khamis' Delicata & Buttnernut Squash Beefsteak & Paste Tomatoes from Dunbarton Farmers Carrots from Batulo Hajiya's Salanova Salad Mix Husk Cherries from Sylvain Eggplant & Cherry Tomatoes from Umoja Farmers
Add Fresh Start Farms collard greens, carrots, cabbage, beets, and cilantro/mint/parsley/basil and Heiwa Tofu to your share this week to make this delicious and fresh meal!
We are a collective brand for immigrant and refugee farmers participating in the New American Sustainable Agriculture Program, a program of the Organization for Refugee and Immigrant Success. We work alongside new American farmers to bring farm fresh ingredients to your table via neighborhood farm stands, farmers markets, our FarmShare, wholesale and through NH Farm to School.
Twenty-three new American farmers make up Fresh Start Farms. Nine farmers are part of the New American Farmers Co-op and grow at Our Farm on Story Hill in Dunbarton, NH. An additional 14 farmers, the Umoja Farmers, grow on land at the St. Paul's School in Concord, NH.
All producers in the Fresh Start Farms collective implement organic practices. While not certified organic, the farmers grow nutrient dense produce without chemicals and in a way that promotes healthy soil, habitat, and environment.
We speak 13 languages, represent 7 countries and grow over 50 different varieties of produce!
