Global Gardens: Cultivating Diversity, Community, and Resilience

 In the heart of Boise, Idaho, there's a nonprofit organization that's sowing the seeds of diversity, sustainability, and community resilience. Global Gardens, founded in 2004 as a modest community garden, has blossomed into a remarkable initiative that's transforming lives and the local food landscape. 

Global Gardens has six garden sites in the Boise area including the Blue Cross of Idaho, Pond Street, 5 Mile, Healthwise, Wright Church and Liberty. At one such site, five farmers were preparing for the weekend farmers market. Some were harvesting and others were washing. All of them seemingly at ease, laughing and joking with one another. A baby happily sat in the shade of a stroller surrounded by crop fields and community. Produce made its way into a large walk-in fridge, bright red beets, lush lettuce, and some of the longest beans you’ve ever seen were amongst the harvest. The most important detail, was that the profits from this operation were going back to the refugees that run it.

Many newcomers to the United States face language barriers and struggle to secure employment that matches their skills. Global Gardens offers an alternative path by allowing them to leverage their agricultural knowledge. Through the program, they gain the confidence to become entrepreneurs, generate income for their families and even purchase homes.

Global Gardens had its humble beginnings as a community garden, primarily tended by Somali refugees who were growing food to sustain their families. A pivotal moment in the organization's history occurred when ten farmers united to launch a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program. Each farmer contributed their unique crops, and together they delivered vegetable boxes to local residents from a central pickup location. At that time, Global Gardens had only four CSA members. 

Fast forward to the present, and Global Gardens has evolved from a community garden into a thriving community of 16 market gardeners, representing diverse nationalities such as Burma, Somalia, Burundi, Congo Brazzaville, and Ethiopia Those four CSA members turned into over three hundred customers who support Global Garden growers through the CSA, farmers markets, and wholesale customers such as restaurants and childcare businesses. 

Global Gardens grows vegetables that are rarely found in mainstream markets, offering not only the refugee community but also Boise residents a taste of the world's diverse cuisines. From the long beans of Asia to sour leaves of Africa, these crops aren't just food; they're a connection to ancestral roots, traditions, and cultural heritage. 

During the pandemic, Global Gardens partnered with the Idaho Organization of Resource Council (IORC) to get local, culturally relevant and organic food out to the farmworker communities. IROC signed up for CSA's from Global Gardens to create a mutual relationship in supporting their CSA program while trying to meet a need in the Latinx Immigrant community living in food apartheid. 

Food is a centerpiece of culture, it connects us to history and tradition in a universal way that only food can achieve. Without ethnic produce, those seeking refuge in places like the United States, miss out on a critical piece of home. In the West, Idaho has been in the top ten states for accepting refugees, contributing to 6% of the population. Despite its increasing diversity, the food selection had remained limited compared to most urban areas. 

Change is slow but present in Boise when it comes to increasing produce diversity. Part of the shift happened during the COVID-19 pandemic; Global Gardens proved to be a resilient food source for the community. While industrialized food operations faltered, Global gardens continued to supply fresh, spray- free, local produce. In urban places like Boise, it has become increasingly more important to have access to fresh produce that hasn’t been shipped in from industrial operations. As people become more and more aware of the true cost of buying from agriculture monopolies, the utilization and expansion of urban greenspaces including community and commercial gardens, is critical to maintaining a resilient and secure local food supply. 

Green spaces in urban environments, like Global Gardens' locations, are vital for environmental sustainability. Green spaces help cities adapt to environmental challenges such as heatwaves, heavy rainfall, and flooding. They have been linked to lower stress, reduced anxiety and depression, lower crime rates, and increased property values. For many seniors in the Boise community, the community garden serves as a place for socialization, physical activity, and fills a sense of purpose. 

As Global Gardens continues to grow, they face challenges, such as land access and expanding their program to accommodate more aspiring farmers. Global Gardens is partnered with the USDA, which brings in the majority of the grants that the organization utilizes. These grants help farmers obtain the necessary equipment while  Global Gardens aims to train the farmers on the business side of things so that they can make a business plan and become self-sufficient.

The future holds promising prospects for Global Gardens. They aspire to extend their reach to Boise's broader community as they continue to empower people and utilize land for the betterment of their communities. 

Idaho Organization of Resource Council