Urban agriculture in Boston – growing promise, weeding challenges

City Growers, Boston. Our mission is to transform vacant lots in Boston into sustainable urban farms. Photo by City Growers

Food Project’s 4 acres in 7 urban communities and 36 additional suburban acres

By Jacqueline Church
Good Eater Collaborative
Jul 27, 2010

Excerpt:

Today, urban agriculture, “urban ag”, is not simply about delicious, local food, it’s about creating new food production and delivery systems, it’s about public health and food justice. Boston chefs, community advocates and entrepreneurs are broadening the dialog and shortening the distance between farm and table. Never mind the 100 mile diet, how about 100 blocks, or 100 steps?

Meet a few new urban farmers, giving us a window into the promises and the challenges of urban agriculture in its many forms.

Since 1992 The Food Project has been bringing young people and adults together to learn about creating new food systems through urban agriculture. Today they farm 4 acres in 7 urban communities and 36 additional suburban acres. Most recent harvests included over 200,000 pounds of produce, with nearly 50,000 pounds donated to various hunger relief organizations. The rest is primarily sold via 492 CSAs and 4 farmers’ markets in low-income neighborhoods including some located in what were previously food deserts.

See the rest of the article here.