Mariamu and her husband Noor were born and raised in Somalia, but were forced to move to Kenya after the war started. They resettled in Kentucky and moved to Boise two years later. They have eight children and are ever grateful for the opportunities available to their children here. Both Mariamu and Noor were farmers in their home country of Somalia, though farming there was very different than farming is here. Noor says that farmers and gardeners led very poor lives in Somalia, and once the war started farmers were often forced to give away their food. All of the farm work was done by hand, including working the soil of massive plots of land and cutting down trees in the plots. Another difference is the availability of water in the U.S., which they did not experience before.
When asked why they became involved with Global Gardens, they responded that they were farmers there, and they are farmers here. It is a part of who they are and a welcomed part of their livelihood from income to food source. Noor says his favorite vegetables to grow in the garden are spinach, kale, and cabbage. Mariamu’s favorites are carrots, radishes, lettuce mix and arugula. Gardening is a family effort for them and you will often find some of their children pitching in for Saturday market harvesting. |