This project is a collaboration
between Kentucky State University (KSU) and multiple community-based
organizations (CBOs) in Kentucky who provide agricultural training to serve veterans
and the socially disadvantaged. We just completed the first year of this project and trained 175 BFs. We trained them in how to start farms, production, and business planning. Most BFs started farming operations: 35
refugee BFs started a market garden at Louisville Grows CBO's 5-acre farm and sold their crops to a nearby grocery store (called Save-A-Lot Store). Another CBO, the International Center at Bowling Green,
Kentucky, received a multi-year lease for a 5-acre farm from the city
government. This farm will be used next year to teach refugee BFs about
commercial-scale produce farming by Mr. Tehran Jewell, Kentucky State
University 1890 Land Grant Extension Area Agent and veteran commercial
produce farmer.
During 2017, we experienced much success in refugee BFs starting vegetable production, sales, and, in essence, making money. Several refugees were surprised at the income potential of small-scale and urban farming, in conjunction with direct-to-consumer sales. Some realized
that they could earn more through this type of farming than from their minimum-wage jobs.
This year, refugee BFs at the
International Center started an intensive hydroponic salad greens
project: they learned how to construct a high
tunnel, start seeds in Rockwool cubes, mix the correct amount of
hydroponic fertilizer, etc. These BFs have developed marketing plans and found two local outlets for their products.
Another
CBO, serving minority and impoverished BFs in the Appalachian Kentucky, started a catfish enterprise. Local catfish farmers were struggling with marketing
because they did not have wholesale outlets and did not have the
resources to make retail sales. This created an opportunity for this
BFRDP project to collaborate with another NIFA 1890 Capacity Building
project
which was investigating fish
transportation and holding systems. BFs at
this CBO were provided with a fish tank, and they started holding and
marketing catfish locally. This provided a means of risk management
via enterprise diversification for BFs who were only selling produce.
Next year our BFs will receive more forest farming and risk management training.