garden builds

 

Garden Builds are tangible projects exemplifying NOFFN’s long-term commitment to redevelop a local food system at the neighborhood level by significantly increasing access to fresh produce.

 

Individuals and groups start gardens for a myriad of reasons: personal use, donation, education, and market.

 

NOFFN has worked throughout the city with partner organizations and residents to develop food growing areas and offer material and technical support in backyards, community gardens, schools, and other institutions.

 

NOFFN has worked throughout the city with partner organizations and residents to develop food growing areas in backyards, community gardens, schools, emergency food providers, and other institutions.

 

Over the past 9 years, NOFFN has helped create 200+ gardens. Our annual goal is 80-100 garden builds per year in various locations:

 

• Residents (or Backyard Gardens) – NOFFN offers a “standard package” (site assessments, several different garden designs, NOLA Growers Guide, access to city-wide trainings, resource library, connection to food growers across the city, invitations to participate in NOFFN activities).

 

• Community Gardens – working with Parkway Partners and NORA, NOFFN offers “standard package” plus vacant lot identification for possible new community gardens.

 

• Schools – NOFFN is taking a collaborative approach to initiate food growing activities at every school in New Orleans. Currently there are 40+ school gardens along with youth agriculture projects like Grow Dat, and garden/kitchen classroom projects like Edible Schoolyard. NOFFN offers “standard package,” as well as sharing of lessons learned in various food curricula, assist other schools in initiating youth food growing projects, teacher training to engage youth in garden space and in food systems education.

 

• Anti-Hunger Gardens – For 2012, NOFFN and Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans & Acadiana is piloting the construction of food gardens at interested emergency food providers in the City. NOFFN offers “standard package” plus vacant lot identification for possible growing expansion.

 

• Other organizations – NOFFN offers “standard package” plus vacant lot identification for possible growing expansion for partner organizations like Greenlight NOLA, churches, community centers, and retirement homes.