Soil Health at Thornton Street Farm

Description:

This event will focus on soil health techniques for new and upcoming “soil scientists”.  Anyone who is a backyard gardener, community gardener and “citizen scientist” will be able to apply these easy soil tips in their gardens.

Most new gardeners may find learning about soil health and fertility a little daunting.  This session will show gardeners how to add fertility to their gardens by using simple items that are already in their homes.  We will also discuss how soil health is important to plant health and human health - We are truly what we eat.

We will show how soil testing can assist with developing soil fertility, how to make the links between soil health and human health, and give demonstrations on the  “Soldiers of the soil” - microbes, and how their presence is a great benefit to building soil fertility.

After this event, participants will be able to identify common issues with soil fertility, how to spot mineral/nutrient deficiencies in their plants, and explore how healthy soil and plants lead to healthier human bodies

Schedule/Agenda:

10:00am -Thornton St Farm Tour and Haley house Introduction

11:00am - Soil Health Assessment Demonstration  and Food Justice Presentation

12:00pm - Nutrition and Cooking Demonstration

1:00pm - Wrap Up & Thank You

About Haley House and Thornton Street Farm:

Haley House uses food with purpose and the power of community to break down barriers between people, empower individuals, and strengthen neighborhoods. We believe in radical solutions: solving problems at their root by challenging attitudes that perpetuate suffering and building alternative models.

Haley House’s Thornton Street Farm is a community farming project at 95R Thornton Street in Roxbury, MA, on a city-owned parcel of land licensed to Haley House and Hawthorne Youth and Community Center (HYCC) in partnership. 2022 will be the 9th season farming the land and it currently has ½ acre of vegetables, herbs, and flowers, mixed fruit trees and berries in production dedicated to neighborhood use. Produce grown on site is utilized in local school kitchens, distributed to 50 seniors living in Highland Park, to neighborhood groups and partners and in Haley House’s Soup Kitchen & Take Back the Kitchen classes. We welcome hundreds of local school children, employ teen farmers, partners with local youth and family organizations and host healing and trauma groups through the season.

Learn more at haleyhouse.org/what-we-do/urban-agriculture/thornton-street-farm/

About the Instructors:

Sis. Anna Muhammad (she/her) - NOFA/Mass’s Food Access Director and a Member of the Soil Technical Assistance Team, is a market gardener in Springfield, MA. Sis. Anna works with community gardeners and backyard gardeners in urban areas to develop no-till soil health techniques for healthier plants and food. SIs. Anna also educates on the relationships of healthy soil, healthy food and human health. She works with the Tapley Community Garden Program (a part of Home City Housing) in Springfield, MA. NOFA/Mass is providing instruction to a group of youth leaders that manage the garden and distribute over 1700 lbs of food to the families of Tapley Court Apartments and the surrounding communities.

Ruben Parilla (he/him) - NOFA/Mass’s Soil Technical Coordinator and a member of the Community Engagement Team. Ruben works on implementing soil health assessments across Massachusetts for farmers, gardeners, homesteaders, or anyone interested in learning about this testing. In addition, Ruben is trained in microscopy to evaluate different matrices for microorganisms that form the soil food web and helps educate growers on the important role they play in the agricultural setting. NOFA/Mass is collaborating with different regional organizations in North Central MA, an area deemed as having high social determinants on building, managing, maintaining and preparing the harvests of a no-dig garden bed.

Ms. Fulani Haynes will be hosting Fulani’s Kitchen! Come learn about nutrition, growing mixed veggies and make a colorful healthy salad with Registered Nurse, Organic Chef and Gardener Extraordinaire Ms. Fulani Haynes!

Refund/Inclement Weather Policy:

For information on our refund and inclement weather policy, click here.

Questions?

Dora Miller 857-265-0598 Dora@nofamass.org

Sponsors

Haley House - https://haleyhouse.org/