Roots of a Movement

            To me, the formation of healthy and wholesome food needs to start at the foods’ very beginning; the planting of the seed or the birth of the animal. While I grew up with a sense of importance for what I eat, I have never felt so connected to the process from farm to table as I do now after founding, growing, and working at Binghamton Acres Farm.

 Acres is Binghamton University’s campus farm, a project that aims to raise awareness about our food system to students and faculty. Our farm’s food is grown entirely off-the grid, and all of this local, pesticide and herbicide-free food is served as a part of the meal plan in College In the Woods dining hall.

Spring of 2013 was the farm’s opening season, and I have never worked so hard as I did digging beds, planting crops, and being a true steward to the land. I felt extremely proud of every successful harvest that came out of our farm. I realized that I was doing much more than simply growing food, I was growing food with integrity, which is something we unfortunately do not see often enough in this country, and more specifically in our city.

Here in Binghamton, there are many neighborhoods that are considered “food deserts”, meaning that peopleliving in these food deserts have very limited contact with healthy food due to limited accessibility, affordability, or availability. They are forced to eat unhealthy meals grown and processed hundreds, if not thousands, of miles away. These items tend to be cheaper and are more available in corner marts or fast food restaurants. Many of these high-sugar, high-fat content foods contribute to conditions that cause chronic disease and shorten lives; this disturbing trend can be traced back to the roots of the problem: food created without care. 

            Through various means, the Half a Loaf team is exploring how this might be changed. I had the privilege of learning about our local food system from my mentor Sean Cummings, the garden supervisor for Acres and the manager for Volunteers Improving Neighborhood Environments’ VINES’s urban farm. The Urban Farm is a half-acre farm in a reconstructed urban lot on the North Side of Binghamton. There’s also a market garden on the land, meaning that the food is not only grown there, but also sold for a modest profit and local benefit. The money raised goes back into the land, for further development, payment of employees, or development.

There are many things that set the Binghamton Urban Farm apart: food is not only grown organically and grown in the city where it is sold, it can also be purchased using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Women, Infant, and Children (WIC) benefits. A community member can purchase a certain share of produce throughout the season; prices vary on the amount of produce one wishes to purchase. Produce can be purchased for one person, a couple, or an entire family. This urban farm serves as an incredible example of positive action towards turning food deserts into a colorful, nutritious oases in Binghamton. 

While our urban farm can’t grow enough food to feed every Binghamtonian, imagine what we could do if we started five more urban farms in the city; finally got that grocery store put on the North side, which has gone two decades without one; and think about the potential impact of farmer’s markets in re-devloped and new city parks. If those among us who are passionate for change combine our efforts, we’ll begin to create a different picture for the future of Binghamton; it will be a place bursting with great food and flush with good health. 

For more information about the Binghamton VINES Urban Farm, visit: http://vinesgardens.org/urban-farm/