BUFFALO, N.Y. — At Groundwork Market Garden, local farmers are planting the seeds for a healthier community.
“There's birds chirping, there's bee’s buzzing, there's life here,” said Mayda Pozantides, co-founder and farmer at the garden.
In 2014, she and partner Anders Gunnersen bought the land after recognizing the need for fresh food options in the Schiller Park neighborhood.
“This neighborhood is one where there's what they call food apartheid, which is, you know, lack of access to affordable, fresh, local, healthy foods,” she said.
And now, with help from American Rescue Plan funding approved by the City of Buffalo, the garden’s reach is going to grow a lot bigger.
The organization received $199,255.45 last week to go towards a new space titled, The HealTHY Community Garden Project.
“There's five lots across the street from our farm that we plan on putting in a community garden, a space for folks to grow, and again, do workshops, a gathering space, just a way to heal and bring people together,” said Pozantides.
The new project promises to bring connection and growing green thumbs.
“It's going to be about like, connecting with people and letting people, really, like, have a chance to see it for themselves and do it themselves,” said Madison Rios, farm manager at the garden.
The current space on Leslie and Genesee Street, already a full-blown operation. Growing vegetables, fruits, herbs, and flowers. Employees at the farm say this time of year brings in the most harvest.
A new project on the horizon, means more options for the community and more space to grow
“We envision it a really beautiful, inviting, welcoming space,”
The market garden sells their produce and much more every Tuesday from 4pm to 7pm right outside the doors of their Schiller Park location.
Neighbors are invited to come out pick through produce, flowers, and local honey and even grab a pizza from the on-site pizza oven.
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