This year, Groundswell is trying something new at Westport Farm: growing rice. While most people don’t expect to see rice in southern Wisconsin, highland rice can grow here just like other garden vegetables.
We planted more than half an acre and featured the grain at this year’s Fall Harvest Picnic. Attendees learned how to properly harvest and prepare rice for the dinner table. The picnic provides a recurring opportunity for the Lifting Hearts Therapy Garden elders to thank the community for supporting Westport Farm.
For many of the Hmoob growers, planting rice brought back joyful memories from their youth. The frequent weeding — and anticipation of the harvest — also reminded us how easy it is to take store-bought rice for granted!
Special thanks to the Southeast Asian Healing Center, Boyden Financial, Dane County, Nimick Forbesway Foundation, Schlecht Family Foundation, Oberweiler Foundation, Roger Garms, Greg Rosenberg, an anonymous donor, Peg Whiteside, and everyone who supports the Lifting Hearts Therapy Garden.