I got introduced to The Urban Farmers at an orchard planting on a Lafayette hillside one rainy afternoon. I was amazed and uplifted by the energy of young kids hauling buckets of mulch and dirt up the hill and planting fruit trees that they may never directly benefit from. I later found out that the team did much more than plant trees and move on. They came back in following years to care for the orchard and in between harvested thousands of pounds of excess fruit from hundreds of backyards and distribute it to the needy.

I felt a strong desire to contribute to The Urban Farmers and to me stepping into the role of Harvest Leader meant preventing a harvest from being cancelled, hundreds of pounds of fruit being wasted and possibly tens of people having a meal without healthy and fresh fruit.

I have been living in the Tri-Valley area for the past 15 years with my wife and two daughters. Having grown up in Pakistan where fruit trees are ubiquitous in homes and along the streets, it was only natural that I plant some where I live. My father has been the inspiration all along and at nearly 90 years of age he still grows fruits trees in Florida from seeds and saplings. My small ‘orchard’ now has a variety of local favorites like plum, peach, nectarine, cherry, fig, pomegranate, apples and some exotics like loquat and multi-graft fruit trees.

I work a technology company in South Bay and try to volunteer as much as I can with my younger daughter during the weekends. It is relaxing, therapeutic and a great way to make new friends, visit backyards, witness the bounties of nature and taste wonderful fruit, all the while doing something good for the community.

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