Transforming Gardens for a Better World
Minneapolis' Urban Agriculture Initiative is a collaborative effort aimed at increasing access to healthy, sustainable, and locally grown food through community gardening projects. This initiative is part of the broader Homegrown Minneapolis program, a citywide initiative promoting food-growing, processing, distributing, eating, and composting to improve the local food system and community health.
The initiative provides space for community and market gardeners to grow and share food, emphasizing healthy and sustainable practices. It supports improved food access, sustainability, and local food system resilience. Collaborative gardening projects also contribute to environmental benefits such as pollinator support and urban greening.
Sadaya Bronson, an 18-year-old summer intern with the Urban Agriculture Initiative in 2022, led a workshop to paint a sign for the 6th Street garden, renaming it the Sunflower Community Garden. The initiative also draws on expertise from Master Gardener volunteers, agriculture educators, and health and nutrition educators.
Sheronda Orridge and Elba Negron, community mentors living in the Broadway and 6th Street neighborhoods, collaborated with the initiative during the summer of 2022. The youth group, under their guidance, learned about designing garden spaces and making nutritious foods like salsa and pesto from Master Gardener volunteers, SNAP-Ed, and EFNEP educators.
The Urban Agriculture Initiative is rooted in relationships cultivated over many years through northside 4-H Youth Development programs. Craig Taylor, the regional director of the University of Minnesota, states that the initiative connects and brings power back to the community. Bridie Musser, the mother of a youth leader named Ben, noticed her son's life and focus changing due to the project and has since connected with the project team, residents from the neighborhood, and the University of Minnesota.
Other youth led lessons on various topics such as surviving in the wilderness, fixing bikes, getting good sleep, meditating, and more. Community mentors encouraged youth to openly be themselves and share their thoughts on topics like identity, belonging, and future aspirations. The initiative also aims to create pathways for greater food access, community building, closer neighborhood ties, physical and mental wellbeing, and educational opportunities.
The gardens in these neighborhoods produce various crops, including squash, strawberries, tomatoes, peppers, kale, garlic, lemon balm, chamomile, mint, flowers, and more. Visitors took home fresh produce and seedlings, and helped plant the garden during gatherings. Moments like poetry gumbo inspired Sadaya in her everyday life, teaching her the importance of journaling and the power of her words.
Taylor expressed excitement for the upcoming season and continued growth of the gardens and community. Youth leaders took care of the community by helping neighbors with yard projects, with community partners like Sisters' Camelot inviting neighbors to gather and enjoy nutritious meals. Amie Mondl is one of the University of Minnesota educators involved in the northside 4-H Youth Development programs.
The Urban Agriculture Initiative is a collaboration between the University of Minnesota, Hennepin County, and community partners. It transforms vacant lots into community gardens in the 6th Street and West Broadway neighborhoods of Minneapolis, providing a "new opening and beginning" for participants like Sadaya to learn and explore their passions. The initiative also aligns with broader Minnesota community efforts, such as Community Innovation grants from the Bush Foundation and tree planting grants, supporting urban environmental sustainability.
The Urban Agriculture Initiative extends its focus beyond food production, also promoting a lifestyle that emphasizes community building, environmental sustainability, and individual growth through gardening. Home-and-garden projects, such as the Sunflower Community Garden, offer activities like workshops and lessons to foster holistic learning and skills, reaching beyond gardening to topics like identity, belonging, and nutritional cooking.
