Seeds to Soila grassroots gardening initiative

in Central Harlem

Central Harlem

• 80% African American• Also includes many

Caribbean and Senegalese immigrants

• Undergoing revitalization after decades of high crime and drugs

Issue: Health problems including those related to poor diets and limited access to fresh healthy affordable foods

Carrie McCracken TRUCE Community Garden

• Located at St. Nicholas & 117-118 St.

• Public space, open to anyone

• About 30 members• Entering its third

gardening season• Recently became

official NYC Parks

Target Audience

Community surrounding Carrie McCracken TRUCE Community Garden in Central Harlem– interested in improved

access to healthy, fresh foods

– Interested in engaging with other community members

– Interested in gardening or learning to garden

User Research

• Surveyed community members and stakeholders (partner organizations)

• Interviewed key stakeholders including garden members

• Interviewed neighbors including those unfamiliar with garden

Research Findings

• Some community members– didn’t realize there was a garden– are interested in gardening, but they don’t have

the space or resources

• Many community members– have cultural roots strongly rooted in outdoors

and being in touch with the land– wish they had better access to fresh foods,

particularly affordable ones– wanted to engage more with fellow community

members– use email and internet

• Garden members– many of them grew up gardening– enjoy being connected with nature– view the garden as common ground regardless

of race and socio-economic backgrounds

Closing the Food Gap by Mark Winne

“...it has been proven worthwhile for communities to make a public commitment to providing land, horticultural training, soil and compost, and other means of support to enable people who want to garden to do so...

Doing so affords them the opportunity to come together in community to grow”

Geddes

• McCracken Garden member• Avid gardener from Trinidad• Active in community• Knowledgeable and willing to

help others in community learn to garden

Marlene

• Central Harlem resident• Lives with a few blocks but

didn’t know about this garden• Loves to eat vegetables but

things they are expensive and not necessarily fresh at the store

• Wants to grow her own vegetables but been able to start

Planting

People from same community

McCracken Garden

+Seeds to Soil

Planting Event

Seeds to SoilseedTracking

GO TO: TRACKING.S2S.ORGCODENAME: MILES05

ROLE: RECEIVER // GIVER

Postingtracking.seedstosoil.org

Precedents

• Leah Gauthier’s Sow-In

• Where’s George

Goals

• Provide equal access to fresh affordable food to community members

• Grow awareness for and access to affordable and healthy foods in Central Harlem

• Foster greater social connectedness in this community

Intervention Design

• Provide access with seed planting event

• Group reinforces commitment and accountability

• No barriers to entry for garden• Gardening guidance• Simple tracking system which

supports community dialogue• Subject around which

community can come together• Follow up events

Intervention Concerns

• Hope it doesn’t rain!• People will not engage with

tracking site• Reaching beyond current

garden members