Refugees use farming skills at Ohio City Farm
Bartunek said the pandemic may have also helped the farm’s direct sales, as more people looked to local food for their shopping.
By Sarah Donaldson
Farm and Dairy
Nov 5, 2020
Excerpt:
CLEVELAND, Ohio — Behind a fence around Ohio City Farm, in Cleveland, Ohio, refugees prepare vegetable orders for restaurants on a recent Wednesday, as they do each Wednesday. Though they come from different countries and have varying levels of English language skills, agriculture is a language they all understand.
“Most of the people who work here were farmers back in their countries,” said Lar Doe, site manager for the farm.
The farm is part of the Refugee Response, an organization that helps resettled families adjust to their new communities in Cleveland.
Northeast Ohio has received 2,500 refugees since 2008, according to Refugee Services Collaborative of Greater Cleveland. The Refugee Response supports more than 120 each year through various programs, including youth mentoring, adult tutoring and Teen Response, an after-school program.
But originally, the farm was the Refugee Response, said Michael Bartunek, senior farm manager for Ohio City Farm.
