Announcement
A collage of the Bronx New Roots Farm. Stewards and community members gather at New Roots.
Photo: DK Kinard
This year’s farming season, the South Bronx community has truly made the farm their home. As a safe space for collective gardening and engagement, the New Roots Community Farm (NRCF) has flourished and grown stronger roots!
Community members have really contributed to the personality and impact of the farm, which is in its eight-year. Take a peek at how the Bronx Farm has transformed since last year’s incredible rebuild.
With last year’s rebuild, the farm has been able to optimize its space and achieve so much! The New Roots team can’t stop buzzing about their 3 beehives! Thanks to New York Restoration Project (NYRP), and the IRC NY partnership, the 2021 rebuild lead to the installation of a high tunnel, new raised beds, and a six-bin compost station, among other enhancements. These have been useful in the workflow and sustainability of the farm!
The Bronx Farm stays committed to the growing of culturally relevant crops that honor our diverse community and uphold the cultures of all the ethnic groups that live among us. To cultivate our beloved foods, the farming beds have also been instrumental for community members to effectively grow popular crops such as peppers and tomatoes while experimenting with more culturally relevant varieties such as bissap, gandules, callaloo, and sugar cane.
Exciting changes also mean opportunities for the farm to make education the center of its mission. Our inaugural horticultural program (HortNYC) enrolled a number of our stewards and community members in gardening and farming classes that went beyond the usual — such as plant identification, propagation, and pest management — to include green skills job readiness.
Our Food & Agriculture Steward and Community Lead, DK, who works closely with our Food & Agriculture Coordinator, Sheryll, shares some reflections about what 2022 has meant for the Bronx farm:
“This year, there have been workshops around native plants, tomatoes, and compost. These workshops tell a story about our ecosystem and how best to take care of it. In the face of the pandemic, I found it critical to bring a fresh interface experience of our farm via Instagram. This has brought community outreach to the fold. Our farm rebuild began in September 2021 but truly carried on this year beyond the material. This year, we focused on emotional rebuilding. That means inspiring longevity and agriculture legacy to the flourishment of our plants, bee hives, and workshops. It's about liberated spaces, food sovereignty, and the opportunity to develop one’s talent.”
Farm open hours are:
Tuesdays & Thursdays, 9a-2p
Fridays, 10a-2p
Saturdays, 10a-3p
Inquiries re: the Farm, to volunteer, and requests to be added to our general email announcement distribution, may be directed to: [email protected]
Stay tuned to our upcoming Newsletter about Education at both of our Bronx and Queens New Roots sites!