Are you looking to grow food in your community? This session is for you, whether you’re a community member or an organization looking to make your dreams become reality. This webinar will break down how partnering with local housing authorities, apartment complexes, libraries or religious organizations can help identify places to grow healthy food without going through bureaucracy or lengthy processes.

We’ll demonstrate the benefits of working with a housing development (or other social service agency), how to make a plan to grow food; and share our experiences connecting with the youth who live nearby, helping to build strong ties and leadership in food access for their communities.  We will also show how to build healthy soil in areas that have dormant areas of grass or lawn.

 

Throughout the Webinar we will:  

• Learn the different soil health techniques utilized by the youth at Tapley Garden
• Discuss the process of increasing the amount of food grown
• Learn about the different culturally appropriate crops grown at the garden
• Recap of lessons learned in the first year of the project
• Hear from participants who have started similar programs in their area

Schedule/Agenda:

6:00pm – Introduction of youth, farm mentors and NOFA Staff 

6:15pm – Introduction of the Garden and progress 

6:45pm – Hear from participants about developing a similar program in their areas

7:00pm – Questions & Answers 

7:15pm – Wrap Up & Thank You

About:

Soil health, youth voices, organic growing and community development all come together to make the Tapley Garden grow.  Located in Springfield, MA, the Tapley Garden is a source of healthy growing practices, soil health techniques and abundant harvests for the families in and around the community surrounding Tapley Court Garden.  The Tapley Garden served as an anchor during Covid for the 40 families that live nearby, providing a space for youth to garden and supplying them with fresh food. The MDAR Specialty Crops Grant awarded to the garden project this year allows for the extension of the garden into a function farm, with valued-added products that will further increase food access. Join Tapley’s youth agricultural scientists, farmer consultants, and NOFA/Mass Food Access Staff to look back at the first year of this MDAR-sponsored project.

 

About the Instructors:

Youth Agricultural Scientists from Home City Housing:

A group of dedicated youth leaders that live in and around the Tapley Garden.  For six years, the Youth Agricultural Scientists have worked together with community members to create abundant harvests and strong healthy soil in the Bay Street Neighborhood of Springfield, MA.

 

About the Project:

The Tapley Garden and Youth Agricultural Program is a collaboration between Home CIty Housing and NOFA/Mass.  This is the 6th year of the program and it is sponsored by a grant from MDAR.  

 

Accessibility:

More Information: Closed caption option for Deaf, hard of hearing, and anyone who benefits from captions

 

 

Questions?

Contact info: Sis. Anna Muhammad ([email protected])