ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (WKBW) — A big red barn now stands at the Providence Farm Collective in Orchard Park, representing a new phase in the farm's mission.
Providence Farm Collective is a nonprofit organization that supports refugees, immigrants and other low-income communities with their own agricultural businesses.
On Friday, they held a barn warming to celebrate this portion of the nonprofit's $2.3 million project.
"I call this place home, but now it became more homier… if that's a term," said market manager Hamadi Ali.
"It's a wonderful, wonderful space that will offer our 250 farmers efficiencies in washing and packing their produce, storing their produce for markets that we didn't have before," said executive director Kristin Heltman-Weiss.
Mahamud "Mo" Mberwa, who works for the collective, explained that up until now, the farmers had to wash and package their produce outside in a tent.
"I remember when we moved here, this was a tent here and the wind would come and we couldn't stay here," Mberwa said.
Ali showed me the current washing station which can only accommodate two or three farmers at a time and has only cold water.
"This small space here," he said, "And sometimes you have about 10 to 15 farmers lined up to try to wash their produce."
Inside the new barn, at least 10 farmers can work at once in the big industrial sinks. Plus, it has warm and cold water, restrooms, showers, an industrial kitchen and a small indoor marketplace.
"Having a new barn, the barns works for the farmer rather than the other way," said community engagement coordinator Elizabeth Thida-Htway.
