Burundi Farmers Celebrate First Louisville Growing Season

By Roxanne Scott
October 28, 2017

One of Louisville’s newest farms is celebrating its first growing season this weekend with a potluck.

The New Hope International Farm off Newburg Road grows vegetables native to East Africa. Most of the growers are from Burundi. The land is one of 10 gardens throughout the city that’s part of Common Earth Gardens, an initiative that connects resettled refugees with agricultural opportunities.

Cambara Jackson, one of the growers, said growing produce from Africa in Louisville gives him a familiar feeling.

“When I see these vegetables it makes me feel home, far from home,” he said. “And then I feel like I’m attached to this [place] like I’m attached to my country. And I don’t feel the difference.”

Fabiyora Nyandwi is also a grower from Burundi. She said seeing the farm’s progress gives her a good feeling and makes her think about the future.

“It makes us happy. First because we have something that other people — they don’t have but they’re looking for,” she said about the native vegetables in the garden.

The growers hope to create a market for other immigrants in Louisville.

“Also it helps us to understand that if we can grow more, we can be able to find a market because we know there are a lot of people from Africa who are looking for the same thing but can’t find it,” Nyandwi said.

New Hope International Farm will celebrate Sunday from 5-7 p.m. at the Passionist Earth and Spirit Center. The celebration will include a tour of the farm, a potluck and theatrical performances. More information about the event can be found here.