About Us
Training and Empowering
New Roots is a four-year training program that began in 2008 as a collaboration between Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas and Cultivate KC. Both organizations work to provide farmer training and market support at the Juniper Gardens Training Farm to help farmers develop and maintain small businesses after graduation.
For over a decade, New Roots has empowered families to start farm businesses by growing and selling produce through farmer’s markets, wholesale and the New Roots Farm Share. At the Juniper Gardens Training Farm, farmers are given a quarter-acre plot to grow vegetables such as tomatoes, beets, spinach, green onions, lettuce, eggplants and more. Farmers bring agricultural expertise from their home country and continue to learn more about growing sustainably in the Midwestern climate.
New Roots is designed to remove the initial barriers to start a small business. These include systemic challenges like economic mobility, language, networking and access to education and support. Divided between the growing season and winter classes, farmers at the New Roots program are involved year-round. Staff provide lessons in English and weekly farming workshops in the off-
season to sharpen farmers’ skills in growing in the Midwest and developing a small business.
Over four-years, farmers are assisted with crop planning, farm troubleshooting, farming equipment, business finance, record-keeping, markets applications and customer recruitment. Each year, the program passes more responsibilities to each farmer to maintain their business. By the fourth year, farmers have taken on the totality of the business expenses and gained practice in maintaining their customer base.
Since 2008, New Roots has had over 45 farmers graduate from the program, 31 of whom still operate a farm business today. You can support New Roots farmers at a local farmers market, restaurant or by subscribing to our Farm Share program.
2023 STATISTICS
Sustainably-Grown
Everything grown at the Juniper Gardens Training Farm abides by strict organic principles. We are committed to creating a sustainable, healthy food system and never use genetically modified or treated seeds, synthetic fertilizers, chemical pesticides or anything else that is forbidden on certified organic farms. Apart from annual tillage, and the use of small walk-behind tillers, New Roots farmers generally cultivate the earth relying primarily on their own physical strength rather than petroleum powered machinery.
Our Growing Principles
Our farmers agree to:
Build Healthy Soil
Use farming practices such as crop rotation, cover-cropping, natural mulching and composting and manual removal of weeds.
Follow USDA Organic Guidelines
Only use inputs approved on the USDA National Organic Program (NOP) List of Accepted and Prohibited Substances
Practice Food Safety
Maintain safety and nutritional value by using potable water for crop washing, sanitizing washing and storage areas and making use of cold storage as needed.
Reduce Losses to Pests
Mitigate pest damage through crop rotation and diversity, the use of row cover, encouraging presence of beneficial insects and using USDA organic-approved pest controls.
Land Acknowledgement
New Roots acknowledges that the land on which we grow is the cultural inheritance of the Kickapoo, Kaw/Kansa and Osage tribes. As a program that supports displaced peoples, we recognize the initial forced removal of Native peoples from these lands. We honor the Native peoples who came before us and honor the excellence of the Native community today. We ask for accountability and we strive to be good stewards of this land as we foster systems of love, justice and equity.
Click here to learn more about the history of indigenous people in Kansas.
Lots of activity is happening on the farm as we get ready for our farm share (starts next week! 😱), markets, and wholesale orders! There’s still time to sign up for our farm share!
Here you see Aung Let’s gorgeous crops, Mauridi flame weeding, and all our totes sparkling clean and sanitized!
The season is in full swing! Here we go!!! 👏☀️🥬🥒🥦💐🌱
May 2
Looking to add more veggies into your diet? Signing up for our Farm Share is a great way to do that! Each week, you get a variety of fresh veggies and/or herbs -- all in season and locally grown right here in Kansas City. Everyone knows homegrown veggies taste better; plus, who doesn`t want to spend a little less time at the grocery store? Sign up for our weekly vegetable subscription at the link in our bio!
#eatlocal #eatyourveggies #kansascity #kansas #summertime
Apr 23
A few weeks ago, our friends at @drumm4kids invited us out for a farm tour! We learned about season extension, livestock, and so much more! Meeting Hagrid the Hog (he loves ear rubs and lullabies) and holding day-old lambs were definitely the highlights😍! Thank you to Anna and everyone at Drumm Farm for such a magical and educational day!
Here at New Roots, we schedule farm tours every few weeks so our farmers-in-training can learn a variety of perspectives and strategies to farming. This season we are hoping to see more season extension methods, livestock, and fruit, microgreens, and mushroom cultivation!
@cultivatekc @catholiccharitiesks #urbanag #seasonextension #midwestfarming #kck
Apr 21
Everyone deserves flowers. The fresh blooms from New Roots are the perfect weekly gift to yourself, your loved one, your beloved pets, a neighbor of whom you`re very fond, literally anyone. Be sure to sign up for Flower Share 2024 today!
Starting at the end of July, receive a weekly bouquet with flowers grown by New Roots farmers at Juniper Gardens Training Farm.
It works just like the Farm Share-- once you sign up, you select one of 5 convenient locations around the metro to pick it up.
The sites for 2024 are:
-Plexpod Westport
-Black & Veatch HQ, OP
-The Merc, KCK
-Ten Thousand Villages, OP
-City Market, KCMO
Spots are limited, so be sure to reserve yours at the link in our bio today.
#newroots #kansascity #urbanagriculture #CSA #Flowers #2024
Apr 12
Our New Roots staff meeting took place during yesterday`s eclipse! Needless to say, it may not have been our most productive meeting ever 😂, but we had a great time sharing the experience with our team and the New Roots farmers. Did you get to see the eclipse?
#eclipse #newroots #kck #urbanag
Apr 9
Time is running out! Be sure to sign up for New Roots Farm Share 2024 soon.
From May- October you too can receive weekly installments of fresh, seasonal produce grown locally according to organic principles.
Full and half season shares are available so you can leave on that month long vacation you`ve been planning and don`t have to worry about missing your pick-up.
This year we have 5 (FIVE!!!) pick up sites around the metro.
-10,000 Villages in Overland Park
-Black & Veatch HQ in Overland Park
-City Market in KCMO
-Westport Plexpod in KCMO
-The Merc Co-op in KCK
Check out the pricing at the link in our bio.
#newroots #kansascity #urbanagriculture #2024 #CSA
Apr 5
DRUM ROLLLLLLLL PLEAAASSSEEEEEEEEE
🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁
The Catholic Charities team is excited to bring on two new staff members this spring.
First we have the illustrious Craig Howard, who will be taking the coveted Sales Coordinator position. He will be helping New Roots farmers connect with new wholesale and CSA customers, as well as help build relationships with existing markets. Are you interested in learning more about how to buy produce from New Roots farmers? Drop him a line [email protected].
Next we have the famed educator, Elizabeth Graham, of Fort Scott legend. She will be taking over the Education and Outreach Coordinator role this April. As such she will be teaching the English for Farming curriculum and working with Cultivate KC staff to hone in Farm Class curriculum.
She will also be the point person all of your questions about volunteering with New Roots, so feel free to shoot her an email at [email protected].
Come meet them at the Transplant Sale on April 27th at Juniper Gardens Training Farm, 9:00am-12:00pm. There will be transplants, crafts, and local goods to nibble.
#newroots #urbanagriculture #kansascity #2024 #spring #farm #introduction
Apr 4
Share in the Harvest
