When you’re food insecure (hungry), eating occupies much space in your brain, something most of us are not aware of. But as a farmer working with refugee families, Tera Ashley is.
Tera began her farming career as an AmeriCorps Vista Member, serving for more than two years as an organic, urban farmer at Trevecca Nazarene University’s J.V. Morsch Center for Social Justice. After participating heavily in Nashville’s local food and food justice movement, she thought she could best serve the cause as a career organic farmer. Tera is now the founder of Sweet Radish, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that seeks to benefit regenerative agriculture (farming with Earth in mind) and families who are struggling with food insecurity.
With the help of donations, Sweet Radish partners with small regenerative farms (those that leave land better than they found it) to purchase five CSA (community-supported agriculture) shares. These shares are then dispersed to families in need who would most benefit by a CSA, as identified by another partner group, the Tennessee Immigration and Refugee Council.
Officially founded in March 2022, Sweet Radish fed five families last year who got fresh produce for 32 weeks as well as fresh pasta from the Farm & Fiddle. It is super important to Tera that one family receives consistent fresh food from one farm; that consistency leads to education and empowerment in the kitchen.
“We could give the CSAs to single-parent families who are working multiple jobs, but we’re focusing on immigrant families because they’re incredibly resilient and not one single thing goes to waste.” CSAs can frequently be wasted and it is important that these be fully used. Also, lifting the burden of food insecurity gives families time to focus on other parts of their lives.
In 2023 Sweet Radish will feed 10 families, with hopes of feeding 20 families in 2024.
How can you help? Donate through their website at sweetradish.org or attend one of their trivia nights at Harding House Brewing Co. Follow them @sweetradishtn.