Growing vegetables keeps these gardeners connected to their roots

With a shovel in hand, Adil Alsharak stares at the empty field before him and is reminded of home.

Back in Iraq, Alsharak saysgardening wasboth a hobby and part of his job as an agricultural engineer.

"I love this work," said Alsharak.

This year, Alsharakwas one of the first people breaking ground at the Unemployed Help Centre's(UHC) community garden off of Lauzon Parkway in the Forest Glade neighbourhood of Windsor, Ont. Since the early 2000s, the organization has been offering plots of land and plants free of charge for people to grow their own vegetables.

But the UHC's food rescue program manager Ali Bazzi, who also oversees the community garden,says they often have a wait list. This year, it's a bit longer than usual, with more than 10 families waiting to see if they'll get someland, he says.

They have gardeners from several different countries, specifically many from El Salvador and Nepal, he says.

"From Nepal, they grow Swiss chard, mustard green, okra, eggplant," said Bazzi.

"A lot of beans for the El Salvadorian families.They grow the whole plot with beans."

Over the years, the UHC has expanded itscommunity garden to include more families. They are now able to provide three by seven metreplots to about 200 people.

As for Alsharak, he says he's growing celery, eggplant, hot peppers, onions someof these are plants he hasn't grown before and wants to learn how to care for.

"It will help me in my life," he said.

But mostly, he wants to make the area beautifulby planting flowers around his plot, and givingback to Canada by donating some of the food he grows to local food banks, he said.

WATCH: Alsharak starts planting his garden

Adil Alsharak starts planting his garden

1 year ago

Duration 1:13

Alsharak was one of the first ones this season to start planting his garden at the Unemployed Help Centre's community garden.

Couple has been growing the same garlic for 35 years

Meanwhile in South Windsor, Bob and Barbara Mero are a little over a month away from harvesting their favourite crop to grow and eat: garlic.

The couple has been growing the same garlicthat Barbara's family gave them fromwhat was then Yugoslavia 35 years ago.

"My grandparents are from Yugoslavia," said Barbara.

"It was my mom's cousin who passed some of this garlic on to us."

Right now, they have about 100 of those garlic plants in their own yard and about 90 of another type of garlic that they got from Ontario.

"That's just one of the parts of your immigration story that you can pass on," said Barbara, adding that their son now also grows the same garlic at his house.

The Meros say they've also shared the garlic with dozens of others, who are now also growing it themselves.

The garlic will be harvested in July, and Bob is already looking forward to all the dishes they'll make with their fresh garlic.

"If a recipe calls for a clove or two, OK well maybe four or five is better," he said with a chuckle.

"We definitely like garlic in a lot of the things that we make."

Bob says they enjoy French, Italian and Greek cuisine all the which tastes a little better with homegrown garlic.

Once it's harvested, they'll set aside a few to be planted under the full moon in October to be picked for next year.

Business helps newcomers learn to grow vegetables of home

In Windsor's Devonshire Heights neighbourhood, 20-year-oldBintuAdamasteps into her sweltering hot backyard greenhouse and checks in on her plants.

Adamaand her familystarted their business Cangro Agrifoods Inc. about two years ago. Adamalived in West Africa when she was younger her family is from Nigeria and Ghana.

After realizing how difficult and expensive it was to shipfoods from Africato North America, she said they were inspired to learn to grow the food themselves and teach other newcomers how to do the same.

"I think it's something that a lot of us forget about, just the simple things that connect you to your roots, they give you a stronger sense of self and identity," she said.

Adama added that she knows many immigrants who used to farm back home and want to learn to do it here.

WATCH: Adamatalks about the ugu plant

Bintu Adama talks about the ugu plant

1 year ago

Duration 0:45

The ugu plant, or fluted pumpkin, is one that Bintu says her family adds to homemade stews.

Adama provides free workshops, along with selling them the plants they want to grow and a plot of land.

And it's not just the action of gardening, but theharvested fruits, vegetables and herbsthat Adama knows can easily bring people back to a time and place.

For her, it's the ugu plant, or fluted pumpkin, which she says is used in stews.

"It makes me nostalgic because having the opportunity to just go into my garden and then take those leaves, cook them, it's not an opportunity a lot of people get," she said.

"It's something that I would never take for granted. It's really close to my heart."