Dig Deep
Forget Farm to Table. Its All About Urban Gardens
The 20 employees of Green City Growers, an urban farming community that transforms unused space into green space, are among the 80 million millennials nationwide who are part of the “giving generation.”
To many of them, giving back isn’t just about giving money. More & more are adopting a charitable approach to their day jobs, too.
Have 6h of sunlight? Then you can have an urban garden! Credit: Laura Feddersen/Green City Growers
Take Jessie Benhazl. Eight years ago, when she was 24, Benhazl founded Green City Growers (GCG). Her mission was to help urbanites start gardens in unconventional places—rooftops, abandoned lots—and to provide her fellow millennials with opportunities to work in agriculture in an urban setting. “Younger people are really excited about sustainability & farming, but don’t always want to live in the country,”
says Benhazl. “Our group is really excited to live in Boston—to be able to go out to great restaurants & eat the food we’ve helped grow is incredible.”
And so is seeing their work make an impact. Since the start, GCG has helped individuals & corporations—including Fenway Park, b.good restaurants, and the Boys & Girls Clubs of America—plant and harvest tens of thousands of pounds of food a year. Much of the over-run goes to local food rescue groups, including the Greater Boston Food Bank. Last year, GCG donated 2,000 pounds of produce & is on track to do even more this year. They’ve also worked to reform urban farming ordinances & advocated for the development of community garden space in new-construction condos & apartment buildings.
At Fenway, the roof farm includes an interactive space that lets the park’s half-million guests each year walk & sit among the produce. “The idea is to grow food for use at the park, but also get people thinking about where their food comes from,”
says Benhazl. “We overhear a lot of people saying that they didn’t even realize they could grow food on roofs.”
Never one to turn down a challenge, Benhazl & her team regularly work to train residents—kids & adults alike—on how to get started in urban agriculture.
Here are her tips on how to become and urban farmer:
Figure out your sunlight sitch
“Whether you’re planning to plant on your roof, your fire escape or in your yard, the first step is knowing how much sunlight that spot gets. If you have 6 hours of sunlight a day, you can pretty much grow whatever you like. Some greens & herbs will thrive with less.”
Get the right containers
“Any garden center will have lots to choose from, or you can recycle something you have at home. Just be sure the container allows for 10-12 inches of soil depth, so the roots have enough space to expand. At Fenway, we use milk creates lined with landscape fabric, which you’ll also need. Or you can line your container with a grow bag—polypropylene bags that hold water & soil and are designed to promote healthy root systems.”
The “giving generation,”
is down to get their hands dirty. Credit: Credit Desiree Currie/What's in Season With Des
Make watering easy
“When choosing a spot to place your container, know that you’ll need to water your garden potentially every day, especially during the summer. If it’s difficult to get to—like, if it’s on your roof or a hard-to-reach corner of your deck—be sure it’s at least close to a spigot or other water source. You can also buy a simple, affordable automated drip irrigation system at your local garden center.”
Quality counts—buy the good stuff
“We like to recommend that new gardeners begin with plant starts—young plants—versus seeds. You can get starts at your local farm or garden center. Buying local will also increase the chances that your plant will succeed, since a local farm isn’t going to sell you a plant that won’t thrive in your area. Peppers, hot peppers, kale & collard greens are generally easy to grow. Perennial herbs also make great starter plants. They’re easy to maintain—they don’t need pruning, unlike tomatoes—and will come back every year. Also, herbs are typically expensive to buy & often sold in bunches bigger than what you’ll use, so by growing your own, you’re eliminating food waste, too.”
Pay it forward
“Never worry about growing too much, because it’s easy for at-home gardeners to give back. Feeding America lets you search by location to find your nearest food bank. You can also check local community centers, which may accept produce if they operate soup kitchens, or be neighborly & ask a fellow urban dweller if they’d like a few of your extra veggies!”