Incubator farms are a sandbox — if that sandbox was full of fertile soil and eager pollinators. Refugee and immigrant farmers grow many fruits, veggies and flowers beloved by Iowans, including tomatoes, lettuce, cabbage, microgreens, watermelon, peaches, sunflowers, onions, radishes, beets, zucchini, squash, carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, sweet peppers and hot peppers.
Other crops favored by international farmers may be brand new to the born-and-raised Midwesterner. Before heading to an international market, brief yourself on 15 types of produce you’re likely to find.
African eggplant
Closely related to the eggplant, but typically round and white, this tropical fruit thrives in humidity. It’s crunchy, mildly bitter and dense in nutrients, as are its leaves. Solanum macrocarpon is used throughout West and Central Africa as a treatment for toothaches, throat pain, parasites, wounds and more, and is a staple of cuisines from Nigeria to Vietnam.
Armenian cucumber
Actually a melon, this snakey, heat-resistant fruit tastes like a cucumber, with an even crunchier texture. It has a different name in most every country: varunk in Armenia, kakadi in North India and tar in Arabic-speaking countries, to name a few.
Bitter melon
This warty, bitter-tasting fruit is typically cooked in the green or early-yellow phase, and is a staple of stir-fries and curries across Asia, and beyond.
Cilantro
The coriander plant (cilantro, in Spanish) is native to the Mediterranean Basin, but its fresh-tasting — for most people — leaves have become a staple in Peruvian, Mexican, Indian and South East Asian cuisines.
Collard
A relative of cabbage, kale and broccoli, collards boast thick, loose leaves 8 to 10 inches long. Their slightly bitter taste is optimal when harvested after the first frost. Grown in Ancient Greece, collards are now a fixture of Southern U.S. cuisine and farmed in East Africa, Zimbabwe, Europe, Brazil, Kashmir and beyond.
Daikon
Also called mooli, this crisp white radish comes in all shapes and sizes, but is often long and stout. It’s native to East Asia and used in a variety of Asian dishes — shredded, pickled and even baked into cakes (e.g., China’s chai tow kway).
Epazote
This herb, also known as wormseed, is native to the Americas, and has a singular flavor and aroma with notes of oregano, anise, fennel, citrus — even turpentine or mint. High in terpenes, epazote may serve as a natural pesticide in your garden. It’s used to season black beans, huitlacoche (corn smut), soups, tamales, teas and more.
Isogo
The greens and berries of this non-toxic African nightshade are highly nutritious, if bitter before cooking. Also known by its Swahili name mboga chungu, the plant is in the potato family and pairs well with tomatoes, onions and, you guessed it, potatoes.
Lenga lenga
Amaranth greens are nutritious leafy weeds with dozens of varieties around the world, often referred to as pigweed. Lenga lenga is an amaranth species grown in Central and East Africa, typically cooked and served alongside meat, fish and rice, not unlike spinach or collards.
Mustard greens
The Brassica juncea plant has a bold, sharp flavor with a spicy twist. Its seeds are used to make brown mustard, while the leaves are common in African, Nepali, Punjabi, Taiwanese, Chinese and Japanese cooking, as well as African-American soul food. Mustard is also a good weed suppressant and phytoremediator, helping remove hazardous heavy metals from the soil.
Okra
A key thickener in Louisiana gumbo, okra is a gooey seed pod native to East Africa and rich in vitamins C and K. Fried okra is common throughout the U.S. South, Puerto Rico and Cuba, and the pods are used in traditional Dominican and Brazilian dishes.
Quelites
Any number of wild, edible greens that thrive alongside corn, squash, peppers, coffee and other crops are referred to in Mexico as quelites. This broad category can include coriander, epazote and pápalo, all great garnishes and cooking components.
Roselle
Also known as ngai ngai, Florida cranberry and Jamaica sorrel, this sour-leafed plant is native to Africa and grown around the world. Roselle leaves, or chin baung ywet, are one of Myanmar’s most popular vegetables, as common as spinach in soups and stir-fries. The flowers impart a cranberry-like flavor and vibrant red color to Mexican agua fresca, as well as African-American “red drink,” an evolution of West African hibiscus tea commonly toasted on Juneteenth.
Sweet potato greens
These greens are packed with vitamins and minerals, and grow heartily in Central and East Africa. They’re the central ingredient in matembele, a Congolese stew served with fufu, rice and chicken. Sometimes, the leaves themselves will be referred to as matembele.
Tomatillo
Mexican husk tomatoes loomed large in Mayan and Aztec culture. They grow in all altitudes, tolerate a range of soils and can be harvested at various stages of ripeness. Picked earlier, the husk-wrapped fruits are more tart — ideal for salsa verde and green sauces. Picked later, they make for a sweet addition to soups, curries and even desserts.
This article was originally published in Little Village’s August 2026 issue.
