HARTFORD, Conn. — A Hartford church is trying to fix what many call a “food desert” in the city's North End. Urban Hope Refuge Church celebrated its new hydroponic farm with a ribbon cutting on Wednesday.
Nestled behind the church is a new green space meant to provide access to farm-fresh vegetables for community members in the North End.
“In low-income communities like this, food deserts are often lacking access to fresh, healthy foods leading to poor nutrition and health issues. To address this, we created the Sacred Roots Farm,” said Pastor AJ Johnson.
According to the Hartford City Council, the majority of the city’s North End is over a mile away from the closest supermarket and has a poverty rate of over 20%. According to the USDA, the area would be considered a food desert.
“We’re standing in what statistics and everyone says is a food desert,” said Johnson.
So that’s where the Sacred Roots Neighborhood Farm idea came from, a Hydroponic Farming Project, where fresh veggies are grown without soil, instead using water-based mineral nutrient solutions.
The garden was made possible through funding from the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, as well as support from Levo International, an organization that provides food desert areas with hydroponic installations.
“That’s really what Levo is trying to do here in Hartford, with our partners, is to take this food desert that we’re standing in and turn it into a food-producing area of the city,” said Christian Heiden.
Growing fresh kale, lettuce, bok choy, and collard greens, for the community, this garden also provides a learning experience for local elementary students at the nearby Community First School.
“To be able to teach them in the classroom and then to bring them out of the classroom, in their community, to a garden where they can have access to great food, fresh food, it’s something that we’re more than excited to do,” said Assistant Principle, Ronald Campell.
Johnson hopes this collaborative project will do more to bring community members together.
“We hope to be the breath of fresh air. We hope to be a beacon of hope, and this is just awesome because there’s fresh food in North Hartford,” said Johnson.
DeAndria Turner is a multi-media journalist at FOX61 News. She can be reached at dturner@fox61.com.
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