Global Greens Farm

Global Greens Farm is a training center for 24 refugee families on their road to self-sufficiency, through sustainable local agriculture and related business training.  Multi year training includes production, record keeping, marketing and more.

Three of these families have launched their own businesses and sell independently at the Des Moines Downtown Farmers Market. They have two acres in Carlisle and share three acres in Van Meter. They will graduate after this year.

“Many former refugees who have agricultural backgrounds have a strong desire to reconnect with the land,” said Nick Wuertz, LSI director of refugee community services. “Growing food also has tremendous benefits in areas of nutrition, health and wellness, mental health and socialization, and it also provides opportunities for small business income.”

Located on 6 acres at the Valley Community Center, the farm uses pesticide-free and sustainable practices to grow Certified Naturally Grown produce which is used by their families and sold through their CSA and Farmer's Market.





Global Green's CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) is new this season.  For more information on their CSA program go to: http://lsiowa.org/index.php/services/refugee/programs/global-greens/market-farming/csa/#register

Here's a peek at the great looking produce in last week's basket!

The Global Greens Farmer's Market is located at the LSI Refugee Connection Center parking lot Saturdays 9am-1pm through October 8th.
3200 University Ave
Des Moines, IA 50311

Also new this year they are one of six farmers markets in Iowa that is running the Double Up Food Bucks program.   The Double Up Food Bucks (DUFB) matches SNAP EBT Card benefits spent at farmers markets. Whatever you spend on your SNAP Card, you’ll get a dollar for dollar match of up to $10 in DUFB that you can spend on locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables.

Come out to the LSI Global Greens Farmers Market and learn more!


Last Fall I had the opportunity to tour the farm with my friend and LSI Farm Associate Zac Couture.  He explained how the farm worked, showed me a few tricks he's learned and has implemented at the site, and I even got to lend a hand during the garlic planting.



The recent harvest looked GREAT!

Are you interested in getting more involved?
It takes lots of work to maintain these gardens and start new ones.

Lutheran Services of Iowa has over 180 families connected to community gardens this year at 12 sites around the city (with various partners and private landowners.)

They have a waitlist of 100+ families waiting for space in existing community gardens. Every year LSI has to turn down many people to community gardens and also the training site in West Des Moines because we don’t have the space. They are always looking for motivated partners to host new sites.

Global Greens relies on charity and grants to continue this work.  You can Donate Here if interested.

They are also always looking for hard-working advocates of food justice to help out.  You could volunteer as a Community Garden Liaison.  As a Liaison you would be visiting the garden once a week, maybe even growing your own educational demonstration garden, for a term of one growing season. 

This is how to actually do the work, get your hands dirty!