NYCHA Land-Use Agreement Approved For Farm-In-The-Projects Initiative

Just before Thanksgiving, NYC Housing Authority granted permission for our youth participants, CS Explorers, to transform a 10,000+ sq. ft. plot of land into an urban farm as part of Concrete Safaris’ Farm-In-The-Projects Initiative.  The urban farm will be located between 97th and 98th Streets and 2nd and 3rd Avenues in East Harlem adjacent to our current space, Union Settlement’s Paradise Garden. Paradise Garden has virtually no full sunlight and the children very much wanted to grow fruits and vegetables. With the garden extension, the children will soon have over 14,000 sq. ft. in which to grow, play, and learn.

Earlier this semester, we visited design firm Pompei A.D. to learn how they create integrative spaces that merge culture with community, which was especially great for Simon, age 8, who wants to be an architect.  Equally as important as exercising outdoors and transforming public spaces, the children will use the concepts they learned to address the food insecurity crisis threating the health of East Harlem residents.  Concrete Safaris’ Farm-In-The-Projects Initiative will offer CS Explorers, now ages 7-12, the opportunity to grow thousands of pounds of fresh produce right outside their homes.

In 2008, the children conducted a community needs assessment to discover what kinds of fruits and vegetables their peers, families, and community center staff would be interested in eating. Broccoli, spinach, and apples ranked highest! The children are looking forward to March when we “break ground.” At a time when NYC’s emergency food relief sites cannot provide enough services to the hungry, East Harlem’s supermarkets are going out of business, and our bodegas sell few healthy foods, our kids are creating a community health solution.

Site of Concrete Safaris' Farm-In-The-Projects Initiative