Take Part Blog: Urban Farms Thrive in New Orleans After Katrina

This past weekend marked the fourth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, and while much still needs to be done to rebuild the devastated region, I’m excited to learn that many New Orleans residents are sowing seeds of hope by turning abandoned lots into small urban farms.

A number of amazing organizations, including New Orleans Farm and Food Network (NOFFN), are helping to revitalize neighborhoods by creating beautiful greenspaces that provide healthy, local and affordable produce where in many cases there are no grocery stores. The gardens also improve property values, encouraging people to rent in areas that have remained otherwise vacant since the storm. Once the NOFFN and other organizations are able to navigate through the obstacles of archaic city ordinances and policies, they also hope to provide more economic opportunities with local farmer’s markets.

Read the full story at takepart.com →