Vegetable farming takes root in Seattle-area food desert

“The grocery store is maybe 2 miles away,” said Wurttele-Brissolesi, describing what shopping in a food desert can be like. “But to get there, you might have to walk to the bus, and if you have four to six children how are you supposed to get enough food home on the bus? It’s easier to get a frozen pizza in the shop around the corner. “

Living Well Kent sells farmers’ products through a community-sponsored farming program that gives customers access to a range of products on the basis of a subscription or membership fee; and it sets up the weekly market where shoppers can pay for the vegetables with government nutrition subsidies such as SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

“In Seattle, the urban farming scene can seem like a privileged place when one relies on the benefits of SNAP,” said Wurttele-Brissolesi, who leads the food access program that supports the work of immigrant farmers. “You can feel like you don’t belong, and our goal is to help the people who need help the most.”

King County, where Kent is located, is home to the Tokul Soil, which is one of the most productive soils in the world thanks to the ash from the state’s volcanoes. On five acres leased by Living Well Kent, Karanja and nine other immigrant farmers grow crops including vegetables, tomatoes, carrots, onions, beets, radishes and peppers. You also have access to a greenhouse and technical support. Tools, seeds and water are free for them.

The city of Kent is one of the most ethnically diverse communities in the country. The farmers themselves represent countries like Somalia, Zimbabwe and Iraq, so their farming methods are rooted in the Middle East and Africa. The group also includes farmers from Mexico and Afghanistan. Living Well Kent encourages them to grow vegetables that matter in the country they started in.