Most farmers sink all their money into owning their land. But thanks to the kindness of two sisters and the efforts of two nonprofits, a group of refugee farmers will soon be able to permanently work on farmland at no cost.
The Organization for Refugee and Immigrant Success launched a crowd funding campaign to help with the purchase of Stone Hill Farm located in Dunbarton. Fourteen refugees from the Somali-Bantu, Bhutan, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo communities have been able to work the land at no cost for the past five years, according to ORIS program manager Wendy Stevens.
And these are not hobbies for the refugees: Stevens said the farmers all own and operate their own businesses, selling produced through farmers markets, farm stands, community-supported agriculture and wholesale accounts throughout southern New Hampshire.
The land owners have agreed to sell the farm, valued at $187,000 in 2015, for $90,000, Stevens said. She said ORIS, along with the Russell Farm & Forest Conservation Foundation, is looking to crowdsource $20,000 of the price of purchase – the rest will be sought through private foundations and grants.
ORIS will manage the property, Stevens said, which has long-standing infrastructure, buildings and soil operations. A conservation easement will be placed upon the land to ensure it stays a working farm into the future.
ORIS is based out of Manchester, and helps refugees and immigrants integrate when they arrive in the states. They help connect immigrants with jobs, medical care and translation services to help them become self sufficient.
As of noon on Tuesday, the campaign has raised $170. To donate to the fund, visit www.crowdrise.com/our-story-hill1/fundraiser/organizationforrefug.
(Caitlin Andrews can be reached at 369-3309, candrews@cmonitor.com and on Twitter at @ActualCAndrews.)