New Roots for Refugees
Growing Principles
While participating in the New Roots program and growing at Juniper Gardens, farmers agree to follow the New Roots Growing Principles. These principles allow farmers to minimize the impact of agriculture on the environment while providing healthy produce to Kansas City.
Farmers agree to
Build Healthy Soil
Use farming practices such as crop rotation, cover-cropping, natural mulching and composting, and manual removal of weeds
Follow USDA Organic Guidelines
Only use inputs approved on the USDA National Organic Program (NOP) List of Accepted and Prohibited Substances
Practice Food Safety
Maintain safety and nutritional value by using potable water for crop washing, sanitizing washing and storage areas, and making use of cold storage as needed
Use Natural Seeds
Farmers will never use GMO seeds or raise GMO crops.
Reduce Losses to Pests
Mitigate pest damage through crop rotation and diversity, the use of row cover, encouraging presence of beneficial insects, and using USDA organic-approved pest controls