Urban Farm Provides Fresh Produce to Community

Between apartment buildings and housing projects in D.C.'s LeDroit Park neighborhood lies an unexpected sight--a small farm. On a half-acre lot on V Street, NW stands the Common Good City Farm, an urban farm committed to providing fresh produce to the community. The farm's mission is to grow food, educate and help low-income D.C. residents meet their food needs.

Through its programs, the farm engages and educates the community about gardening and healthy eating.

"This is about food sovereignty as much as it is about food justice," said Spencer Ellsworth, the farm manager. Food justice refers to equal access to fresh food and, according to Ellsworth, food sovereignty is about taking matters into your own hands.

"There is limited access to fresh food in this neighborhood," Ellsworth said. "The farm is here to address this problem."

The farm's Green Tomorrow's program allows low-income residents to work on the farm in exchange for fresh produce. To be eligible, applicants must make less than the D.C. living wage, which is $12.50/hour as of 2010. They also offer Growing Gardens workshops, which are open to the general public. Working with the community is one of the reasons why Ellsworth loves his job.

"It's that community interaction," he said. "Meeting your neighbors. I love helping people."

The community surrounding the farm was not always so receptive to the idea of the farm. The farm lies on a plot of land that was formerly Gage-Eckington elementary school. The school was demolished in 2009, to the ire of some residents of the LeDroit Park community. However, the LeDroit Park Civic Association invited Common Good City Farm to be part of a project for the re-use of the school site.

"There was definitely animosity," Ellsworth said of the relationship between the farm and the community. He said that many members of the largely black community resented the presence of white people moving in.

"But that has started to change by meeting people outside of the fence instead of keeping our heads in the dirt." Ellsworth said.

With only two paid staff members, the farm relies on members of the community to help keep the farm running. Sara Emamiam and Colin O'Brien are area college students who started volunteering at the farm this spring semester. Emamiam studies public health at George Washington University and volunteers at the farm because of the connection the work has with her area of study.

O'Brien was just looking for a volunteer opportunity and came across the farm in his search.

"I like it because you can do what you're good at," he said. O'Brien has previously done work with construction and was able to use his talents at the farm. "Whatever you want to do, there is something for you."

Josefine Durazo, a Mt. Pleasant resident, is a first time volunteer at the farm and found the place after looking for a volunteer opportunity.

"I enjoy being outdoors and getting dirty," she said. "I have a love affair with food. I love cooking, eating and growing."

But Durazo admits she is a novice gardener and will apply what she learns at the farm to her own herb garden.

"I thought it'd be a great way to have fun and give back to the community," she said.

In its third season at this location, the farm is flourishing. Ellsworth said they would like to be able to grow more food and have more people involved. He hopes to see improvements to the entire community through the work at the farm.

"Hopefully we can make small differences in people's lives," Ellsworth said.