Cornell Cooperative Extension

Onondaga County
sweetpotato Ipomoea batatas
Image by Gerald Holmes

Batata

Chinese broccoli Brassica oleracea
Image by stu_spivack

Chinese broccoli

cilantro/ coriander Coriandrum sativum
Image by Howard F. Schwartz

Cilantro

long beans Fabacea family Vigna unguiculata
Image by Kcdtsg

Long beans

Fenugreek seeds
Image by Sanjay Acharya

Fenugreek seeds

red amaranth Amaranthus cruentus
Image by Julia Scher

Red leaf amaranth

Ocimum basilicum 'Horapha' Thai Basil
Image by Mokkie

Thai basil

Thai Chilies
Image by Vegan Feast Catering

Thai chilis

Ethnic Vegetables

The large and growing ethnic populations of Syracuse demand a different mix of vegetables than the population at large. Many of these vegetables are currently coming in from other parts of the country as well as from Central America and the Caribbean. Many of these crops could easily be produced in Central New York. Below are descriptions of several nontraditional crops in demand in Syracuse that can be grown in CNY:

Batata
Chinese broccoli
Cilantro
Long beans
Fenugreek
Red leaf amaranth
Thai basil
Thai chilis

Last updated July 26, 2019

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Useful Resources

Image from the website of WorldCrops.org to provide visual for the sidebar link

Visit WorldCrops.org to learn about ethnic vegetables that will grow here in Central New York

Creating Connections

Syracuse has a large and rapidly growing ethnic population. The state department has placed 6,647 refugees in Syracuse over the last 10 years and they continue to place about 800 additional refugees every year. These refugees come from all over the world, but primarily Somalia, Burma, Congo, Cuba and Bhutan. There are also 22,697 people of Latino origin in the Syracuse Metropolitan area (2010 Census). These diverse groups are growing quickly and demand a different mix of farm products than the population at large. CCE Onondaga seeks to build better connections between these diverse populations and the local farming community.

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