In this issue:

Growing Season Winding Down

Timely Reminder: Postharvest Handling

New Immigrant Farming Project

New Immigrant Farming Project at Rosemount

used with permission, Sustainable Agric. Newsletter, Minnesota Extension Service

Helping new immigrant families develop farming skills and become self-sufficient from their small-scale farming operations is the goal of a new program offered by the University of Minnesota Extension service, Minnesota Food Association and others.

"The program has a positive effect on new immigrant families who otherwise would not be served by traditional Extension programs," says Nigatu Tadesse, Extension educator for the program. He conducts workshops and does one-to-one consultation farm visits for over 200 farmers who lease land from property owners in Dakota County.

Tadesse, in collaboration with Bob Olson, Extension educator in Washington County, taught Hmong farmers pesticide safety and advanced vegetable production and conducted private pesticide applicator training. Other co-workers helped Tadesse with the Latino groups, where topics were organic vegetable production; soil sampling and fertility; value-added product development; and marketing, food safety and canning.

Another segment of the program is a "Farming Incubator Program," sponsored jointly by the Extension Service and College of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences. It was established to help primarily new immigrants in the Twin Cities area who will move into small-scale operations.

There are 20 participants farming on 28 acres of land. They come from diverse cultures: Albanians from Kosovo, Egyptians, Ethiopians, Hmong, Guatemalans, Mexicans, Somalis, Tunisians and those from the mainstream culture.

Farm size ranges from one to three acres. Trainees grow diverse vegetable crops, herbs, flowers and specialty crops. They pay $175 per acre for land rent.

"They will be allowed to farm in this educational program for no more than five years," Tadesse says. "They have agreed to take responsibility to transition from the educational training site by personally acquiring leased or purchased land to relocate."

"The new immigrants work very hard-16-to 18 hour days in busy seasons," Tadesse says. "They have very few resources such as machinery, but being successful and independent is their hope and dream."

For more information, contact:
Nigatu Tadesse
Extension Educator
Minnesota Extension Service
phone: 651-423-2413

Co-Editors: Bill Hutchison, Department of Entomology, University of Minnesota, hutch002@tc.umn.edu
Jeanne Ciborowski, IPM Program, Minnesota Department of Agriculture, jeanne.ciborowski@state.mn.us
Production Editor: Rebecca Hines, Research Associate, University of Minnesota

Disclaimer
Reference to products in this publication is not intended to be an endorsement to the exclusion of others which may have similar uses. Any person using products listed in this publication assumes full responsibility for their use in accordance with current directions of the manufacturer

Last Revised November 11, 1999.
The University, including the Minnesota Extension Service, is an equal opportunity educator and employer.©1999 Minnesota Extension Service, University of Minnesota. All rights reserved. Contact copyright@extension.umn.edu for information on reproduction or use of this material.