Refugee and Immigrant Self-Empowerment (RISE) Community Farm
is a 180-acre agricultural non-profit, community-based farm located in Syracuse, New York. The farm serves as a resource for immigrants and refugees who are interested in farming. The program offers free or low-cost access to land, agricultural and business education, and other resources to help growers and entrepreneurs produce their own food. The program is facilitated by Refugee & Immigrant Self-Empowerment (RISE). RISE provides market access for farmers who wish to participate, including staffing a table at the popular Syracuse Regional Market and coordinating wholesale transactions through local CSA and hunger relief programs. It received a $4,825 grant to install fencing to prevent significant crop loss due to deer.
“The fence was completed in spring 2024 and is successfully protecting five acres of crops, benefiting nineteen refugee and immigrant farmers. These farmers were trained on fence safety and operation, leading to a significant reduction in deer-related crop damage, particularly for corn. While the project faced challenges with maintaining the fence due to vegetation interfering with the electrical charge, RISE addressed this by weekly trimming and is exploring propane torches for more efficient weed control in 2025,” said Patrick Dunn, Farm Manager.
