Monroe County Soil & Water Conservation District
Urban Agriculture
In recent years, urban agriculture has begun to see a spike in interest and installations in cities across the world. Urban agriculture is city or suburban agriculture found on roof-tops, balconies, backyards, vacant lots and parks, and roadsides, all with a focus on community gardening.
Since 2020, the District has expanded our programming to include urban agriculture/community gardening projects and partnerships.
Project Name: Enhance Community Urban Agriculture
Funding: 2023 NYS Conservation Project Financial Assistance – Part B
Year Began: 2023
Year Completed: 2023
In 2023, we partnered with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Monroe County, Cornell Cooperative Extension Harvest NY, and EquiCenter to work with and fund three community organizations/groups looking to expand or start their community gardens. The goal of this project was to work with groups located in food deserts who also use their garden as an educational tool for residents, youth, an community organizations, and harvest and utilize their produce to serve their community.
A total of 14 raised beds were constructed through this project resulting in a total yield of over 1600 lbs of produce grown and distributed to community members. Read about each garden's mission and project success below:
Living Word Temple of Restoration
Expansion of their community garden from 6 beds to 12 beds. The garden offers locally-grown produce to community members and actively involves youth members to care for the garden. Through this project 1,135 lbs of produce was yielded and distributed to members in need of the community.
Spiritus Christi/ The Nielsen House
As part of a prison outreach program under Spritus Christi, The Nielsen House is a center for individuals re-entering society from prison or treatment centers offering them residential support and amenities. Through this project 5 raised beds were installed resulting in over 400 lbs of produce being yielded and distributed to house residents and their families, surrounding community members, residents of the Nielsen House's sister house The Jennifer House, and many more organizations!
RCSD School No. 42
Partnering with community organizations and colleges to offer their students a diverse educational experience, School 42 is dedicated to their students and through this project 3 raised beds were installed. Over 100 lbs of produce was yielded and served as an educational tool for all of the students.
Project Name: Urban Agricultural Community Garden
Funding: 2020/2021 NYS Conservation Project Financial Assistance – Part B
Year Began: 2020
Year Completed: 2021
Watch the garden's progress from April to August!
In 2020 and 2021, we partnered with Asbury First United Methodist Church and Cornell Cooperative Extension of Monroe County to create a community garden located at the Asbury First United Methodist Church through funding from the NYS Part B grant. Ten raised vegetable garden beds were installed, as well as the planting of a pollinator bed full of pollinator flowers and shrubs. The Church said the garden has inspired a new generation of gardeners wanting to start their own vegetable gardens after learning about urban agriculture at their Bible school classes, and this garden will serve to educate more in the community about the benefits of urban agriculture. Vegetables produced by the garden exceeded expectations with several varieties of tomatoes and peppers, lettuce, chard, greens, kale, herbs, green beans, eggplant, broccoli, cucumbers, carrots, and squash all being grown and distributed to the church community and various local food programs.
Interested in learning more about urban agriculture or staying up to date on all urban agriculture news in the City of Rochester: join the Urban Agriculture Working Group listserv.
The Urban Agriculture Working Group's mission is to strengthen Rochester, NY's urban agriculture movement, develop community leaders, and collaboratively identify and address policy, resource, and education barriers to urban agriculture and community gardening of all kinds.
For more information and to get on their listserv view their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/RocUAWG/