Meet the Sudanese Farming Group

That’s no ordinary industrial park lawn in front of The Food Group warehouse in New Hope, MN. It’s a lush half acre of Egyptian spinach, rows of ripe tomatoes, arugula, okra, and Armenian cucumbers crawling to the top of a 30-foot hoop house. On summer evenings and weekends, you might also run into farmers busy tending their crops or attending a class on farm food safety.  

Over the past several years, The Food Group and community members have converted our front lawn into a diversified urban garden and farm. This year, we added the plot to Big River Farms, The Food Group’s land access and farmer growth program, and partnered with the Sudanese Farming Group to build a site for farm business incubation, land and access, and farmer education.

“We didn’t just grow plants, we grew lifelong relationships, amazing memories, and intergenerational connections that are essential to our collectivistic culture.” 

Khalid Elhassan, founder of Sudanese Farming Group

This summer, more than 50 Sudanese community members, including youth, adults, and elders, were able to participate in the Big River Farms education program, and put their skills into practice on the urban plot.  

Khalid Elhassan, founder of the Sudanese Farming Group explains their focus was to cultivate “ethnically relevant crops that enrich not just our dining tables but also the heritage, cultural & technical farming skills associated with those crops.” 

Using this space as an incubator site helps address the lack of available urban farmland and eliminate the transportation barrier that prohibits many aspiring growers from getting started farming.  

When we support small farming businesses, we create an ongoing supply of local food for every table, today and in the future. Learn more about Big River Farms, a program of The Food Group.

We Value Nutritious Food
Working with our community partners, The Food Group buys, gleans, grows, and processes fresh produce.

Food Bank
or Food Shelf?
The Food Group is a food bank that supplies other hunger relief agencies with fresh produce, frozen meat, grocery staples, and other household necessities. Food shelves distribute free food to individuals and families in their local communities.

The Food Group believes in food equity. They believe in culturally specific foods. They believe in meeting people where they are at. And most of all, they believe in dignity.

The Food Group volunteer and donor

Did You Know?
Over 20% of Black households and 19% of Latinx households report food insecurity, compared to 10% of white households.

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The Food Group

We’re a nonprofit working at the intersection of equity and access to fresh, sustainable foods. From farming to distribution, we provide fresh food across MN and WI.

The Food Group is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. EIN 41-1246504 Contributions are tax-deductible to the full amount provided by the law.

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