A Farm Grows in Dorchester

Today members of the down:2:earth team took a field trip to reVision Urban Farm, we met with Matt Kochka, the farm manager who was kind enough to answer some of our questions and gave us a little tour. Arriving at the farm we saw a vast patch of land covered with green vegetables, this scene contrasted with the Dorchester triple deckers surrounding the plot and the McMansions that are being constructed just a block away. Farms in town - what a concept!

The main mission of the farm is to give shelter and hope to pregnant and parenting homeless women. Matt said that the average stay lasts from six to eighteen months. With that mission in mind, they have managed to do so much more than give hope. They grow organic food that is then sold to locals at discount prices, benefiting the local community. The woman staying at the house can help tend to the garden and gain important working skills. The food served at the house is healthy. Local volunteers can gain a greater sense of community and experience an urban farm. reVision is able to earn 20% of it's funding from the sales of produce.

After noting the significance of this income, Matt pointed out that they still need donations from individuals and labor from volunteers to survive. NOTE: Wednesdays are a great day to volunteer a few hours at the farm. Since they sell their produce on Thursdays, Wednesdays are busy preparing and much help is needed. Nathalie and Lorelei are looking into their busy urban schedules to see if they can get down to their roots once a week.

The farm grows collards, lettuce, tomatoes, squash, rasberries, carrots, sweet potatoes, and kale. They also have two green houses where we found Rachel Cory, their intern for the summer. We interrupted her while she was thinning seeds to plant mustard and lettuce. She is currently attending Bryan Mawr, enrolled in a program called Growth and Structure of cities, where she learns about issues of urban planning, economics and sociology. (Phew - someone is looking into this!) Her internship has been six months long and she said that she has enjoyed it very much.

Rachel and Matt both like having the opportunity to reach out to the community. The work they do at the farm is complicated in some ways, but in others it seems so fundamental. With the rise in food prices and health issues from pesticides and processed foods, this farm seems like a no-brainer. Why is it so unique? Well, it is a bit complicated and someone has to run it and fund it. If you want to donate - the parent organization is Victory Programs. You can donate right on their website.

We were very inspired by the initiative at the farm, which has been around for over a decade. We hope to go back in a couple of weeks and volunteer at the farm. Matt said that volunteers are always welcomed and participation is encouraged. You learn skills on how to grow your vegetables, and learn valuable life skills that benefit those that are interested in sustainability. And of course, you are part of a community when you volunteer. You meet interesting people and expand your world.