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From left, Qadir and Fatima Karimi are all smiles while planting crops at Turlock Community Gardens on May 8.

Photo: Photo: Jonathan Partridge

̽����ѡ staff reports

̽����ѡ offices across the nation have offered New Roots programs for many years, providing opportunities for refugees to participate in sustainable agricultural practices and receive nutrition education. Yet in the heart of California’s Central Valley—the agricultural hub of the state—no such program had existed.

That all changed May 8, as four Afghan families helped launch a new sustainable agriculture program for the ̽����ѡ in Turlock/Modesto. Participants gathered at Turlock Community Gardens to plant crops typically grown in their home country such as okra, muskmelons and Persian cucumbers as well as fruits and vegetables more commonly grown such as tomatoes, strawberries and bell peppers.

“We’re ecstatic to see this new program finally develop after years of effort,” said Jonathan Partridge, Volunteer and Donations Coordinator for the ̽����ѡ in Turlock/Modesto, who is helping coordinate the New Roots program in Turlock. “It’s thrilling to see the enthusiasm from participating families.”

The community garden, which celebrated its one-year anniversary this month, started as a joint venture between Dr. Julia Sankey, a geology professor at California State University Stanislaus, and the ̽����ѡ in Turlock. It contains 45 plots, including five reserved for ̽����ѡ clients, on property owned by Cornerstone Covenant Church in northwest Turlock.

The community garden officially reached nonprofit status in fall 2020, with Vivien Jacob, director for the ̽����ѡ in Turlock/Modesto, and Jonathan serving as board directors.

Abdul Salam Arifi gingerly holds a strawberry plant that he is about to place in his garden plot at Turlock Community Gardens on May 8.

Photo: Photo: Jonathan Partridge

While local ̽����ѡ staff struggled to find interested participants at first, that all changed when participant Zahra Haideri became interested. Zahra, who came to Turlock as a refugee nearly five years ago, contacted several of her Afghan friends by phone to let them know about the New Roots opportunity the same day that she toured the garden. Within 24 hours, all but one of the ̽����ѡ garden plots was taken.

“I love gardening, and I love the organic veggies you can grow with your hand,” Zahra said.

She noted that some fellow Afghan gardeners are seniors who were looking for activities to fill their spare time. One participant rides his bike 30 minutes each way to go to the garden, she said. He has diabetes, so he said the exercise is helpful, she said.

“They can use their free time in a good manner,” Zahra said of the gardeners.

Similar to other gardeners, New Roots participants have the opportunity to learn from master gardens who are trained through the local University of California Cooperative Extension office. For instance, Zahra said she gained lots of knowledge when attending a recent class at the garden about growing tomatoes.

̽����ѡ Turlock/Modesto staff have been in talks with the UC Cooperative Extension, which offered a remote master gardener course on spring gardening this past March that was translated into Dari. Both the UC Cooperative Extension office and the ̽����ѡ aim to offer additional gardening courses in Dari at the garden in the future. In the meantime, New Roots participants are busy tending to their growing gardens.

A decorative sign greets New Roots participants and other gardeners as they come to Turlock Community Gardens in northwest Turlock.

Photo: Jonathan Partridge

Julia Sankey, who serves as CEO of the Turlock Community Gardens board, noted that from the outset she and Jonathan wanted the community garden to be a place where refugees and other community members could get to know one another. This is already happening, she said.

“We now have ̽����ѡ families gardening at the community garden, just as we imagined a year ago,” she said. “It feels great to see our dream come true, and for friendships being made at this new community garden, and we are eager to help start a second (garden) in Turlock!”

Jonathan noted that it’s been wonderful to see ̽����ѡ beneficiaries mingling with professors, master gardeners and other members of the community, even as they enjoy the benefits of sustainable agriculture.

“From the start, Turlock Community Gardens has sought to cultivate community, and it’s been beautiful to see relationships growing organically as a result of this new program,” he said. “We’re excited for what the future holds.”