Last updated: November 21, 2024
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Urban Agriculture: A layered approach to food security and sustainability in Elizabeth NJ
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GROUNDWORK ELIZABETH
Groundwork Elizabeth collaborates with community members, businesses, and city officials on projects and programs that create a more sustainable future for this dense industrial city in northeast New Jersey. One program area in particular, urban agriculture, has increased food security, expanded the availability of fresh foods, and supported ongoing green infrastructure projects.
In urban landscapes, finding and securing long term access to suitable land—and to reliable sources of water and electricity— can present significant challenges. The Groundwork team took a creative, far-reaching approach to these challenges, finding opportunity in unexpected spaces across the city. After creating a series of community gardens as demonstration projects, Groundwork partnered with Elmora Public Library to create the Elizabeth MicroFarm, the first new farm in northeast New Jersey. The MicroFarm, located on library property, highlights a variety of urban growing strategies, including in-ground gardens, an apiary, a library of flowers, and a food forest. This space also demonstrates the benefits of green infrastructure; it includes Elizabeth’s first green roof and a rain garden that protected the MicroFarm from flooding during Hurricane Ida in 2021.
Adjacent to the MicroFarm is a former brownfield site the city helped remediate. Groundwork Elizabeth supported activation of this space with an office, garden shed, and 50 community garden beds provided through Come Grow With Us!, an urban agriculture initiative catalyzed by New Jersey State Assembly woman Annette Quijano and community partners (including Groundwork Elizabeth) to improve access to fresh and affordable food. Seeking to further expand the accessibility and impact of urban agriculture, Groundwork Elizabeth created over 150 community gardens at schools, housing authority properties, and senior centers. The MicroFarm also engages over 29,000 public school students from Elizabeth and neighboring communities in educational programs focused on urban growing approaches and conservation best practices that improve localized food production.
“We believe in layers. Nothing is understood by itself—that’s an idea we bring into planning to build greater connectivity.” Jackie Park Albaum - Director of Urban Agriculture, Groundwork Elizabeth
The Elizabeth MicroFarm and its associated programs illustrate the tremendous potential of urban agriculture. Currently, the MicroFarm produces approximately 10,000 pounds of food per year; including the output from the entire network of community gardens, the total exceeds 30,000 pounds per year. Over the past two decades, Groundwork Elizabeth has not only increased community-wide access to gardening spaces, but also offered new gardeners’ cultivation skills – from soil health to composting to seed harvesting – and food prep skills. In doing so, they have created valuable opportunities for residents to connect with each other and reconnect with their food.
“I never thought I would be a farmer in this city but growing your own food and getting your hands in the soil is a game changer.” Groundwork Elizabeth’s Urban Farmer, Ray
Q+A with Jackie Park Albaum, Director of Urban Agriculture, Groundwork Elizabeth
What was your initial goal with the Microfarm? How did it come to be?
Our goal is to have a positive impact with a focus on environmental justice through increasing food security, access to fresh foods and creating green infrastructure projects. We started out building a few community gardens as demonstration projects. Initially, our farm was housed at our local university, but when their institutional priorities changed, we had to leave that space. From there, we developed the concept of an urban farm with enough space for community gardens as well. With land from the local Elmora Library and a grant from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection we were able to establish a long-term area to grow. We now had a more permanent place to invite community into, the Microfarm.
What advice would you give to a group getting started?
When you are first starting, work small to big. In this case, I first looked into local businesses, local foundations, city grants, county grants — I eventually got to state grants. Keep in mind that these grants usually love to fund building, but it is essential to also include maintenance in your plan. What does this project’s funding need look like in a year, in three years? Always look to build a contact list and educate people on what your organization is doing. This is very helpful for funding. Other good resources include Grants.Gov, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), particularly USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and cooperative extensions.
NRCS (Natural Resources Conservation Service) is a partner in your work. How did you build that connection and how is the EQIP (Environmental Quality Incentives Program) support helping your urban ag work?
NRCS has primarily been a supporter for big ag, but they are expanding their interests in urban agriculture. We have grown a gradual relationship, including inviting them to our site. EQIP supported our Microfarm with a high tunnel. This structure differs from a greenhouse in that it does not have temperature control and is not cemented into the ground. Rather, it’s a semi-permanent structure, which is vital to extending the growing season. We can now start growing in March, opening a longer window of time for “in-farm” engagement, especially with kids.
How big is your growing space?
Our farm is technically about an acre. Part of that acre is a parking lot; food production happens on about half an acre. The Microfarm and onsite community gardens produce about 10,000 lbs/yr. When we factor in the offsite community gardens, production is currently 30-40,000 lbs/yr.
How much staff, time, and funding are required to run the farm and community gardens?
This is the paid staff list, but you can’t do this without community. Volunteers are essential!
|
Staff Position |
Role |
Hours |
Estimated Funding |
|
Director of Urban Agriculture |
Building strategy, fundraising, supporting education efforts |
20 hrs/week (10 months) |
$50,000/year |
|
Director of Operations |
Construction, earth moving, mechanical |
20 hrs/week |
$25,000/year |
|
Lead farmer |
|
20 hrs/week |
$25,000/year |
|
Manager of Agricultural Experiences |
Volunteer coordination, education |
20 hrs/week |
$25,000/year |
What is unique about your approach to this work?
We believe in layers. Nothing is understood by itself — that’s an idea we bring into planning in order to build greater connectivity. Our Microfarm involves green infrastructure, conservation practices, raised beds, hydroponics, and in ground planting. Our approach is layered and provides a unique opportunity for people in Elizabeth to reconnect with edible and nonedible plants.
What are/were some of your biggest challenges?
Changing mindsets. People are not always going to agree with or fully see your vision. Develop one-page concepts, share them, and ask people to come and visit your site. A good representation of your concept will get you far. Keep asking for support. Don’t give up. You will need your local government on board to be part of the process. A good entry into those relationships is through the city’s Director of Health, Department of Parks and Recreation, and the Department of Public Works. Also, community development block grants (CDBG) could be very helpful. We are currently in the process of applying for CDBGs as well. Another challenge was finding open space in a city. This is rare, and if you are looking for a growing space some possible places to look could be schools, libraries, or universities. Long-term leases on land are very important, and I’d advise developing a memorandum of understanding. We are in the process of developing one ourselves.
What advice would you give to someone just starting this process?
Make a plan; check it many, many times; recruit great partners; and identify funding. Ask yourself - What are your missions and goals? Are they reflective of a group, a potential partner? Don’t give up. Keep on going. Every urban community deserves the right to grow their own food.
What impact have you had in the community?
Through our work, every school, housing authority, and senior center has a community garden; that’s about 150 community gardens. In addition, we aim to engage Elizabeth's 29,000 public school children in agriculture and encourage urban agriculture food production. The Microfarm is also the first new farm in northeast New Jersey. This is a big deal, and overall, through our efforts we have increased access and availability to gardening spaces and fresh food.
GROUNDWORK ELIZABETH
Established: 2003
To learn more about Groundwork Elizabeth’s urban ag, climate resilience, workforce development, and green space programming, visit: