Article and photos by John Purvis
A large field of greenery, enclosed by concrete, provides an unexpectedly beautiful scene just off New Lots Avenue, the last stop off the 3 train.
A short stroll from the train station brings visitors to a farm in the heart of East New York, Brooklyn, where the comforting scents of topsoil and a garden in full bloom are present. Soul music wafts over the garden where farm-fresh foods are ready to be picked and eaten.
East New York Farms is an “urban farm” and a nonprofit that aims to counter years of neglect, underinvestment and food injustice in the community. Founded in 1998, the organization offers a youth internship program, a food pantry, farmers’ markets and an on-site gardening center at the New York City Housing Authority’s Pink Houses, a 66-year-old public housing complex.
Every year, over 20 interns, aged 14 to 20, are hired to participate in the Youth Food Justice Internship. During this nine-month paid internship, local youth learn how to grow and sell food and plants, tackle pollution through garbage pickup and recycling programs, lead workshops and maintain a garden. The internship is open to teens and young adults who live in East New York.
“Seeing new plants and food grow more and more everyday is probably my favorite thing about working here,” said Joshua John, 20, a compost intern who is four years into the program.
“I love showing people how accessible farm-grown food is — many people who live here don’t even know a place like this exists in East New York.”
Every Saturday, the youth interns lead the farm’s community agriculture workshops. Last fall, John led a Hot Sauce Creation Workshop where attendees could select hot peppers grown on the farm to make their own hot sauce.
“I love watching the interns find themselves and connect with agriculture,” said Sarah Bacio, the assistant project director for East New York Farms (ENYF).
“It’s so fun to watch them go from shy and unsure people, then go on to lead workshops and know how to grow things themselves without any help.”
ENYF also hosts weekly farmers’ markets. There, food-justice interns sell farm-fresh and affordable foods to residents. The farm accepts cash, debit, SNAP EBT and health bucks.
“We are the only place in East New York to find local, organic produce, including Caribbean specialty crops like karela, bora and callaloo,” said Bacio.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, East New York’s population is 49% black, 33% Hispanic and 7% Asian. East New York Farms aims to cater to the community’s diversity. Every week, something new is grown on the farm, providing food for residents and insight into the neighborhood’s cultures for both kids and adults.
“We provide local, organic, culturally relevant food for the community and grow the cultural foods that the people in our community request,” said Alexx Caceres, the organization’s farm manager.
“My favorite part about working here is being able to grow food for my community and learn more about agriculture, especially urban agriculture.”
Chili peppers are a farm staple and were highlighted at the workshop because of their use in Latin cuisine – especially Mexican-American dishes.
The program benefits the community and the teens who work there.
Mark L., an 18-year-old Youth Food Justice Intern, shared how he enjoys sitting around the farm to clear his mind. And Darius P., a workshop attendee from East New York, said he wished he had known about the farm sooner.
“I’m just now learning about this place through a few college friends,” Darius said. “I think lots of kids from here would want to grow food for their families as an intern.”
Caceres agrees with the interns and would appreciate seeing youth from all over the borough begin to frequent East New York Farms.
“Through agriculture, we can show our teens and adults why East New York matters and why we are important,” Caceres said.
The garden offers the community a bucolic respite from city life. It opens a path to healthier living and, possibly, even career opportunities for its young people.
