Refugees Produce Vegetables for Local Markets in Southern New Hampshire
Southern New Hampshire Services’ New American Sustainable Agriculture Project (NASAP), conn
ects immigrants and refugees with the land, skills, and resources needed to start farm-based enterprises in New Hampshire. The farmers are recently resettled Somali Bantu and Bhutanese refugees living in Manchester, NH. Produce is grown on a seven acre farm in Dunbarton, NH, lent for use by retired dairy farmers. This year 13 participants are selling vegetables as part of the Fresh Start Farms collective at various farmers markets, through Community Supported Agriculture Shares, SNHS’ Summer Food Service Program, New Hampshire’s Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program, and wholesale to a local colleges and restaurants.
In order to successfully integrate refugee farmers into the agricultural community here in New Hampshire, participants are being connected to the larger network of farm services. Relationships are established with the UNH Cooperative Extension, The USDA Service Center, including the Farm Service Agency and Natural Resources Conservation Service, Southern New Hampshire Resource Conservation and 
Development, The New England Farm Workers’ Council, and the New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets and Food.
For more information on Fresh Start Farms and the New American Sustainable Agriculture Project, contact the Organization for Refugees and Immigrant Success 296-0443.
