After gardening for two years with support from the IRC’s New Roots program, Qilan begins to dream of the future.

IRC offices across the nation have offered New Roots programs for many years, providing opportunities for refugees to participate in sustainable agricultural practices and receive nutrition education. Yet in the heart of California’s Central Valley—the agricultural hub of the state—no such program had existed.

That all changed May 8, as four Afghan families helped launch a new sustainable agriculture program for the IRC in Turlock/Modesto. Participants gathered at Turlock Community Gardens to plant crops typically grown in their home country such as okra, muskmelons and Persian cucumbers as well as fruits and vegetables more commonly grown such as tomatoes, strawberries and bell peppers.