Byron Nkhoma throws his head back in laughter as he washes radishes on his Ramona farm on Tuesday, May 21, 2024.He dusts it off, rubber bands it with a half dozen others, and drops it into a large bin.Nkhoma takes pride in that flavor. He goes out of his way for it. Sometimes, when it’s warm outside, he and his wife Joyce will harvest at midnight, working under the cool of the moon, so his crops are most alive with that taste.
In January, that changed. The food bank Feeding San Diego asked to partner with him as part of a new program. He’s started to dream about how to invest that money back into the farm — hiring more labor and buying shade netting and temperature-controlled tunnels. Leticia Rodriguez, Feeding San Diego’s Senior Manager of Sourcing, said offering fresh produce — not just canned or boxed food — is vital.
On Saturday — four days after harvesting — Nkhoma’s radishes are placed at the end of a long line of tables covered in a rainbow of produce.