Rasha is a member of the 2005-2006 BLAST Cadre. This is an update on her project from late Fall 2005.

Last weekend was the first session of the holistic management/farm business planning course that will run through March. There were 30 people there, mostly couples. Among the participants is one of our immigrant farmer trainees from Nigeria, who is working on a business plan for the 5 acres he owns in the countryside south of Chicago. His plans are to raise goats for milk and meat, and grow vegetables. He plans to market both through his non-profit in Chicago and other stores in the Nigerian community.

I’m about to put the two community gardens to rest with the youth and adults, planting some garlic for next summer and laying down compost and green manure to over-winter. In November, we’ll enter planning for the next season with a strong focus on increasing the adult and family participation at both gardens. We hope these gardens will not only provide food and safe space for the gardeners and visitors, but will also help some individuals and family realize their abilities in farming as a potential enterprise.