Urban farms are great for Buffalo. Not only do they help to beautify neighborhoods, they also provide plenty of harvest for communities. Urban farms are considered “equalizers,” where neighbors are able to plant, and reap the rewards. Tending to urban farms teaches important life skills, as well as the importance of eating well. These farms are places where people raise chickens, cook food, host markets, and socialize. The farms have become indispensable anchors in the communities, which are ever changing in order to accommodate the growing needs of the residents.
Master gardeners will be available to answer questions at FEEDMORE WNY, and UB’s Food Lab will discuss public policy implications for urban farming.
In order to show just how invaluable these farms have become, an inaugural Urban Farm Day event has been coordinated by Gardens Buffalo Niagara.
The event will showcase a wide range of farms, where people will come across things such as… honey harvesting, culturally significant crops, vegetables like Hmong red cucumbers and Congolese eggplants, and even a u-pick worm farm. Participating farms include:
- Brewster Street Farm, 36 Brewster Street, Buffalo
- Bolyard Garden, 223 Broad Street, Tonawanda
- Chris and Lisa’s Garden, 112 Plymouth
- Common Roots Urban Farm, 309 Peckham, Buffalo
- FeedMore WNY, 91 Holt Street, Buffalo
- 5 loaves Farm, 1172 West Ave, Buffalo. 2021 Lunenfeld Grant Awardee
- Grassroots Gardens Broadway Community Garden, 389 Broadway, Buffalo
- Groundwork Market Garden, 1698 Genesee Street, Buffalo
- Harris Garden, 108 Landon Street, Buffalo
- Kubed Root, 33 Pannell Street, #1, Buffalo
- Massachusetts Avenue Project, 387 Massachusetts Avenue, Buffalo
- Pelion Outdoor Classroom, 206 Best Street, Buffalo. 2021 Vibrant Buffalo Grant Awardee
- PUSH Buffalo 14th Street Garden, 309 14th Street, Buffalo
- Urban Fruits & Veggies, 324 Glenwood Avenue
- WestSide Tilth Farm, 246 Normal Avenue, Buffalo
- Wilson Street Urban Farm, 360 Wilson Street, Buffalo
Select farms (in bold) will have produce available for purchase. The self-guided tour is absolutely free – no tickets required, and runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, August 28. Find a printable map and schedule at UrbanFarmDay.com.
FREE SCHEDULED TALKS:
10:00 AM
-
UB FOOD LAB: Peppers and policy: Interactive Activity on Urban Farming and Municipal Policies Through an interactive workshop, UB’s Food Lab team will share how policies affect urban farms. This will take place at the M.A.P. farm, 387 Massachusetts Avenue.
11:00 AM
-
MAP: Chickens and Bees and Urban Living Learn the ins, outs and whys of keeping chickens and bees in your backyard, including City of Buffalo regulations.
12:00 NOON
-
FEEDMORE WNY: Reducing Food Waste Learn ways to eat the whole plant and reduce waste coming from your garden. Master gardeners will also be available 10am-1pm to answer your questions.
-
PUSH: Impacts of Urban Farming We’ll look at the impacts of urban farming on food security, community diversity and inclusion, and storm water runoff, which we manage with two cisterns that collect storm water for reuse and a green roof that slows storm water.
1:00 PM
-
GROUNDWORK MARKET GARDEN: The How-To’s of Soil in Your City Garden We’re in cahoots with nature – which means at our core is a focus on soil health. Learn how to make sure your soil is safe and ready for planting before you start.
-
GRASSROOTS GARDENS: Gardening for All Gardening for All is an initiative at Grassroots to ensure our community gardens are accessible to all people, including those living with disabilities. It includes universal design, inclusivity and accessibility in gardening.
2:00 PM
-
5 LOAVES FARM: Cultural Gardening Learn from our diverse staff about growing and sharing crops that are culturally significant to the immigrant communities in our city, such as African garden eggs, ginger, and calabash gourds.
3:00 PM
-
KUBED ROOT: Microgreens The focus will be on broccoli, radish, peashoots, and wheatgrass / petgrass, all of which can be grown either indoors or outdoors. The greenhouses will be available to visit.
Click here for more detailed information
Urban Farm Day is an event produced by Gardens Buffalo Niagara. Its mission is to promote education, and to create more vibrant and beautiful communities by sharing our gardens with events like the East Side Garden Walk, Tours of Open Gardens on Thursdays and Fridays in July, and the Buffalo Style Garden Art Sale.
Lead image: Photo by Jim Charlier