Growing vegetables keeps these gardeners connected to their roots

With a shovel in hand, Adil Alsharak stares at the empty field before him and is reminded of home. 

Back in Iraq, Alsharak says gardening was both a hobby and part of his job as an agricultural engineer. 

"I love this work," said Alsharak. 

This year, Alsharak was one of the first people breaking ground at the Unemployed Help Centre's (UHC) community garden off of Lauzon Parkway in the Forest Glade neighbourhood of Windsor, Ont. Since the early 2000s, the organization has been offering plots of land and plants free of charge for people to grow their own vegetables. 

But the UHC's food rescue program manager Ali Bazzi, who also oversees the community garden, says they often have a wait list. This year, it's a bit longer than usual, with more than 10 families waiting to see if they'll get some land, he says.

They have gardeners from several different countries, specifically many from El Salvador and Nepal, he says.

"From Nepal, they grow Swiss chard, mustard green, okra, eggplant," said Bazzi.

"A lot of beans for the El Salvadorian families. They grow the whole plot with beans." 

Over the years, the UHC has expanded its community garden to include more families. They are now able to provide three by seven metre plots to about 200 people. 

As for Alsharak, he says he's growing celery, eggplant, hot peppers, onions — some of these are plants he hasn't grown before and wants to learn how to care for. 

"It will help me in my life," he said. 

But mostly, he wants to make the area beautiful by planting flowers around his plot, and giving back to Canada by donating some of the food he grows to local food banks, he said.

WATCH: Alsharak starts planting his garden 

Meanwhile in South Windsor, Bob and Barbara Mero are a little over a month away from harvesting their favourite crop to grow and eat: garlic.