New Roots Farm Incubator
The New Roots Farm Incubator Cooperative was formed in 2018. It includes more than 15 families and individual members who grow vegetables for the local community and sell them at area farmers markets. Some of the produce also is sold through the Red River Harvest Cooperative, an online marketplace.
For the past four years, farmers associated with the co-op have had access to plots of farmland through an umbrella lease held by the co-op. The land is located at two locations: north of Dilworth in Clay County and at Prairie Rose Farm in Felton. Farmers share equipment and receive education and technical support to grow their farm businesses.
Several of the farmer members were involved in Growing Together Community Gardens and other area community gardens prior to joining New Roots. New Roots members have attended conferences sponsored by the Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota and North Plains Sustainable Agriculture Society. And several are active participants in seed saving with a local group. The majority of the New Roots Farm Incubator Cooperative board are co-op member farmers.
The farmers involved in the cooperative include Simeon Bakunda; Caliton Ntahompagaze and Honoree Kanatesi; Sangdhan Jeet Bahadur; Mohan Sharma Dhakal; Parsu Ghimirey; Monu Khadka; Ganesh Kumar Majhi; Kausila Majhi; Santi Majhi; Emmanuel Sinzinkayo; Devi Sawakoti; Mukti Sawakoti; and Prem Sawakoti, Dew Rai, and Amy Rice.