Anyone who has experienced the urge to grow tomatoes in the backyard — and enjoyed the satisfaction that comes in harvesting what’s been grown — can understand a desire to work the land.

And anyone with a connection to the land who has become city bound — with no way to grow tomatoes even in a container — can understand the frustration of not being able to do so .

It’s like having a farmer’s soul but no way to farm.

That’s the situation many local refugees find themselves in, particularly the Karen people of Burma, also known as Myanmar.

Indiana is home to a growing Burmese community, which includes the Karen ethnic group.

Although traditionally farmers, many Karen have relocated to urban areas such as Indianapolis and have little access to farmland.

An understanding of the frustration that these refugees must feel led one Indianapolis farm family to offer the use of land.

“It just seemed like the thing to do,” said Carol Waterman of Waterman’s Farm Market, 7010 E. Raymond St.

Waterman said her family heard about the Karen people’s situation through friends and was approached by the Indianapolis mayor’s office as well.

“They were wanting to find a farm, so we’re making some land available and trying to help with marketing,” Waterman said.

Waterman said that members of the local Karen community will be growing a variety of vegetables on her family’s Southside farm, which is known for fresh produce such as strawberries, sweet corn and pumpkins.

“The goal is that they will be planting some things, and we will be marketing them at our farm,” Waterman said.

In addition to broccoli, cabbage, lettuce and squash, the Karen will also be growing traditional Asian vegetables such as yard-long beans, white eggplant, tatsoi, mizuna and winter melon.

“There’s a call for that that isn’t being met in our area,” Lisa Waterman said.

To raise awareness of the Karen’s situation and to mark World Refugee Day on Saturday, Waterman’s Farm Market will be hosting a festival this weekend.

Featuring food, music, dance and storytelling from a variety of cultures — including Karen, Chin (another Burmese ethnic group), Iraqi and Eritrean — the event runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free.

For participation information, call Lisa Waterman at (317) 626-0520, or visit www.watermans farmmarket.com.