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Westside Farm Project Hosts Spring KickoffBy Nichole Dupont Special to iBerkshires 08:17AM / Tuesday, May 04, 2010
Photos by Nichole Dupont
The initiative kicked off with fanfare at in Pittsfield's West Side neighborhood on Saturday. |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — As environmental concerns combine with a dwindling economy, "green spaces" in urban areas are gaining popularity. Pittsfield is no exception.
On Saturday, organizers, residents and volunteers came out to the now sustainable lots on Robbins Avenue to plant, eat and support the WestSide Farm Project, a community garden and education project brought to the city by the Westside Initiative.
"The project started in 2008 as one little garden," said farm manager and community education outreach coordinator Becky Rushford. "That first year not much was grown but the second year, we produced over 500 pounds of food."
Rushford said the WestSide Farm Project was a natural offshoot of the WestSide Initiative in pursuing the goals of education and bringing communities together through literal growth.
"We saw so much potential in turning vacant lots into green spaces for the community," she said.
In addition to the two lots on Robbins Avenue, Rushford said there is another very productive lot that has been planted in the front of Conte Community School. But the work has only just begun.
"It's going to take a lot of work to get everybody into it and involved," Rushford said. "We couldn't do this on our own."
In the spirit of community, the farm project continues to collaborate with other Pittsfield-based organizations in order to promote and maintain these community gardens as well as a sense of unity among West Side residents, especially youth.
"We're working with the Recipes for Success, an after-school cooking program to promote healthy foods using the things that are produced in the garden," Rushford said.
The importance of getting Berkshire teens involved is not lost to Eric Wilder, a volunteer for the newly founded SEED (Social Education Engaging Diversity) Network.
"You plant the seed, you get the meal," Wilder said. "That's mentoring, education, action and leadership. We've all grown up in the area and it's time we did something. We're just starting to get ourselves out there. There are a lot of positive things that can be done."
According to SEED Network founder and director Ed Taylor, education and working with others is the key to revitalizing and invigorating West Side residents and their children.
"This is designed to create a dialogue," Taylor said. "We're changing the role model. Michael Jordan just doesn't cut it anymore. We need people in the area, real people to step up. The beauty of it is the support of our community."
This support includes working closely with the Pittsfield Police Department, the Conte Community School and Berkshire Community College to name a few. The goal, according to Taylor, is to survey teens; specifically young men of color, to see what their needs are in the community and to meet those needs. This includes providing summer mentoring programs, education through physical activities and urban radio programming for area teens and adults.
"We want to draw the parents in as well," Taylor said.
Sarah Lytell is one such parent. Lytell, who is a Pittsfield resident and volunteer for Citizens of Berkshire County, said the WestSide Farm Project is essential to educating children about sustainable community.
"I have two daughters, and I want them to understand where their food comes from," Lytell said. "It's important and it's just plain fun." |
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