How Learning How to Farm at New Roots Gave a Burmese Refugee Rest, Flexibility, and Self Expression
My first name is Peng. In our culture or tradition, the first name represents who you are. Mine means -communicating well with people, and knowing how to get along with the people around . you and my last name, Bu is from my dad’s side.
I was born in a village between a lot of mountains in the Chin state of Burma with my mom and two brothers, I am the youngest.
I was 16 or 17 when I left. We went to Thailand and then Malaysia. In Malaysia the UN gave us a lesson on how to enter the lottery to come here and then we worked until we got in. I was married in Malaysia and my first child was born there. My second was born here.
When I first came here to Kansas City I thought it was boring. I expected tall buildings and all the fancy things that you see in the movies. But when we got here, all the houses were similar and not fancy, and we’re on a busy street so it’s not safe for kids to play outside. It’s really flat. I miss the village where I was born. Every time I see a hill or a green tree, It’s kind of like a memory.
Agriculture or any farming thing, is my favorite thing to do. I work in a warehouse too and farming is like a rest. It’s really tiring, but every time I see a plant that I grow - grow well, it makes me happy.
In Burma we grew a lot of staple food, corn rice, okra, bok choy, pepper…Not potatoes. Potatoes don’t work there. And here we can’t grow pumpkin leaves. It’s not the American pumpkin - you can’t eat those leaves. The texture is different. And winter melons are really hard to find here too.
I don’t have a favorite thing to grow. Everything is great on its own. Whatever I'm able to plant gives me different knowledge and experience. Some plants need attention and some plants don’t, I learn which is which and things like that.
The only crop I hate is summer squash. I can’t get it to stay alive.
After I finish the 4 year program, I would love to lease land at Juniper. New Roots helps support graduates, but at this moment I think the land is getting expensive here, I may be working with the New Roots team closely to look for opportunities.
I’m glad I joined the farming program. It’s given me more flexibility and I’m able to express myself through farming. It’s my proudest thing.
Having my own farm would be the best!
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