Progress 09/01/12 to 08/31/15
Outputs
Target Audience:During the reporting period, ECO staff and volunteers reached several key audiences: residents of the Autumn Woods apartment complex in Bladensburg, which includes heads of households, low-, lower- and moderate income residents; It also reached Bladensburg residents of housing units surrounding the farm, such as nearby Emerson House Senior Living Apartments, Parkwood Condominium, and users of the Bladensburg Community Center. Through its SEED2FEED and Seedlings Summer Youth Programs, ECO also reached primarily African American and Latino children from 1st to 12th grade and their parents who attend the nearby elementary, middle and high schools. ECO engaged high school youth with after school volunteer hours at the farm. We also reached residents of the four surrounding Port Towns communities, which are also served by the farm through direct engagement at local events and through nutrition education sessions. Through the Port Towns Community Health Partnership, local leaders in government and civic groups to promote the farm and Healthy Eating, Active Living (HEAL) and sustainability issues. Changes/Problems:In the first year of project operation, ECO decided to widen the circumference of the target area around the Autumn Woods complex, taking in more residential units such as nearby low-income senior living apartments, townhouses and a condo building across from the farm's entrance. Expanding our target population allowed greater impact of the farm on area residents and greater ability to address food access inequity issues. In Year 3, we continued to deepen our reach to this expanded target area, and began a farmers market. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Urban Agriculture Courses: ECO City Farms held its three day intensive Urban Agriculture Certificate Course in 2015 at the farm, with 14 participants. This course provides an overview of issues and activities in urban farming. Master Composter Training: ECO also held its Master Composter "Soil Builder" training at the farm for 17 participants in a 6 month commitment to in depth learning and practical hands on training to become master composters. This training, led by ECO's nationally acclaimed compost expert, was free to participants, who went through a rigorous selection process. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?In Year 3, ECO staff continued to disseminate information and lessons learned about the Autumn Woods project at Bladensburg Farm at national, state and local conferences and events. Through conferences, speaking engagements, tours, direct meetings with local leaders and residents, and one on one conversations, we directly informed communities of interest, from residents, local community leaders, state and regional organization and national groups about this critical Community Food Project. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Although the grant has ended, ECO's commitment to this project has not. It will continue to operate the farm and provide many of the programming, outreach and farming activities described above to provide area residents greater access to fresh local food and to make good food and healthy living choices.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
In Year 3, ECO continued focusing on the project's long term goals and vision: establishing a fully functional composting operation and urban farm in Bladensburg, Md., that produces nutrient rich soil, healthy food, training and jobs in the food system for Autumn Woods residents and the adjacent community, engaging area residents of all ages, providing more opportunities for access to fresh food and educating about healthy eating, active living choices. Food Production: We grew more than 700 pounds of chemical free produce using all organic methods. This included root vegetables like red and sweet potatoes; greens such as collards, kale, swiss chard and lettuces; carrots, tomatoes, scallions, hot and sweet peppers, green beans and winter squash. The total bed area under cultivation increased in Year 3 to approximately 1.25 acres. We continued to build up the soil in current and new growing areas with a fall cover of leaves from the Town of Bladensburg's fall leaf collection, plus rich vermicompost from our facility. Outreach: ECO continued its outreach strategy to disseminate information about the project to the community to nearby schools, community centers, senior facilities, neighborhood associations, local government, faith institutions and businesses. We tabled at many community events, such as the Port Towns Elementary Community Festival and National Night Out. Outreach encouraged people to volunteer at the farm; to participate in the nutrition education trainings; to attend food-related learning opportunities; to participate in the low cost farm share program to receive weekly produce shares; and attend the Summer Youth Program. Building Construction: ECO constructed a 'worm house': a large structure to centralize and expand the farm's vermicomposting operation with funding from the Redevelopment Authority of Prince George's County. ECO also added to the 'urban barn' and multifunction space for a pop up kitchen for the Summer Youth Programs. SEED2FEED Summer Youth Program: ECO ran its Summer Youth Program at the farm with 27 neighborhood high school participants. This free, six week long, five day a week intensive camp engaged youth in every aspect of the food and farm system. Classes in cooking, farming, arts, beekeeping, nutrition, herbalism and spoken word performance were offered in summer of 2015. Seedlings Program: New this year was the Seedlings Program, a free summer farm and healthy living program for 23 children, aged 6-12. Organized in partnership with two local youth residents and the Magic Johnson Empowerment Center, this program ran five hours a day, five days a week, for two weeks. It provided healthy morning snacks and 'I'm a young chef' cooking lessons. Learning included the science of bees, composting, growing food and basic mathematics. Sports, yoga, self-defense and hip hop sessions covering global awareness perspectives rounded the curriculum. This program introduced young residents and their families to the farm, healthy eating and living, and how to make healthy life choices. Farm Share and Farmers Market: ECO ran winter and summer farm share seasons using produce from the farm and area sustainable farmers. The summer season had 30 members, 38% of which were from food desert areas of Prince George's County. Additionally, ECO established and ran a new farmers market just one block from the Bladensburg Farm from July 11 to September 26, 2015 to provide fresh produce to area residents at affordable prices. ECO accepted SNAP and WIC FMNP checks for payment. The market attracted 668 visitors. Orchard Development: ECO planted 35 three year old fruit trees on the farm, donated by a local organization, Casey Trees. We look to a fruit harvest next year from apple, sour cherry, and pear trees. Community Compost: In partnership with an adjacent elementary school, ECO started a compost education and food waste collection program with the school's 6th grade science teacher and the school's environmental club. The teacher taught about compost and brought the class to the farm for a walking field trip. Food waste collected in the classroom is brought to the farm by ECO. ECO also set up food waste collection bins at two locations outside gates of the farm, where residents deposit their food waste. This is a small but strong beginning for increasing community composting in the neighborhood. "Let's Talk Food" Nutrition Education: ECO continued its "Let's Talk Food" nutrition education program: a free two hour session that teaches practical information about choosing healthy food options. This is an essential component of ECO's engagement of the community to create awareness of healthy food choices and to grow interest in the food grown at the farm. In Year 3, ECO held 10 sessions, reaching 232 attendees living in the area. Many of these free sessions were held at locations near the farm: the Magic Johnson Empowerment Center at Autumn Woods, Bladensburg High School, Emerson House Senior Living Apartments, Port Towns Elementary School. Volunteer Hours: Volunteer hours held bi-weekly Saturdays gave residents a chance to become involved in the work of the farm and learn directly about sustainable food production. ECO offers community service hours to local students. One Bladensburg high school student volunteers weekly at the farm and assisted with the farmers' market operation during the summer. Her participation has far exceeded her required community service hours. ECO staff have supported her interest in food and aspirations to be a chef. During Year 3, more than 160 people volunteered at the farm providing 780 hours of work. Youth Garden & After School Programs: ECO's afterschool program engaged children aged 5-11 years from the Autumn Woods complex and surrounding neighborhood to maintain the farm's new Youth Garden. Once a week for two hours, children received a healthy snack and worked in the farm's youth garden. A local Catholic high school also held regular after school volunteer hours at the farm, incorporating community service with learning about sustainable agriculture. Key Partnerships: ECO continued its key relationships with the Autumn Woods apartment complex to promote activities to residents and provide educational services to its youngest residents. We also partnered with groups and schools in the immediate area surrounding the farm including Bladensburg Community Center, Emerson House Senior Apartments, Port Towns Elementary, Templeton Elementary, Bladensburg High, Elizabeth Seton Catholic High School, the Port Towns Community Health Partnership, Town of Bladensburg, the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission and county offices. Urban Agriculture Courses: ECO held its Urban Agriculture Certificate Course in 2015 at the farm, with 14 participants. It also held its Master Composter "Soil Builders" trainings at the farm, providing 22 hours of in-depth and practical training to 17 participants. Farm Tours: ECO conducted tours for 57 neighborhood residents to provide a picture of what food production looks like at a sustainable farm. Attendees learned about the farm's operation, and how to become involved in the local food system. Employment: ECO employed one Autumn Woods resident for 100 hours per month to assist with farming, composting and outreach. Another local resident was hired for outreach for 30 hours a month. 27 youth also received stipends for participation in the Summer Youth Program. Prince George's Food Equity Council: ECO served as co-chair on the Steering Committee of the Prince George's County Food Equity Council, to encourage the proliferation of urban farming, meet food access needs in low income areas, and to promote equitable food access throughout the Prince George's County.
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Progress 09/01/13 to 08/31/14
Outputs
Target Audience: During Year 2, ECO staff and volunteers reached several key audiences: residents of the Autumn Woods apartment complex in Bladensburg, which includes heads of households, low-, lower- and moderate income residents; It also reached Bladensburg residents of housing units surrounding the farm, such as nearby Emerson House Senior Living Apartments, Parkwood Condominium, and users of the Bladensburg Community Center. ECO also reached primarily African American and Latino parents of children from 1st to 12th grade who attend the nearby elementary, middle and high schools. ECO Engaged high school youth with after school volunteer hours at the farm. It also reached residents of the four surrounding Port Towns communities, which are also served by the farm through direct engagement at local events and through nutrition education sessions. In addition, local leaders in government and civic groups were engaged about the goals and activities, as well as future plans of the farm through direct meetings and conversations. Changes/Problems: In the first year of project operation, ECO decided to widen the circumference of the target area around the Autumn Woods complex, taking in more residential units such as nearby low-income senior living apartments, townhouses and a condo building across from the farm's entrance. These changes in target groups allowed more impact to area residents and to treat the neighborhood as a whole while addressing food access inequity issues. In Year 2, we continued with this expanded target area, with no additional changes in approach. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Attendance at the USDA's annual Community Food Project conference. As a member of the Prince George's Place Matters team which twice a year visits member cities and conducts two day learning labs for all participants. ECO also has attended TedxManhattan, which features talks about innovations and progress toward a revitalized food system and Slow Money, where participants explore financing the reconstituted food system. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Through conferences, speaking engagements, direct meetings with local leaders and residents, and one on one conversations. See responses for Outcomes 3.2, 4.1, 5.2, 5.4 which all directly informed communities of interest, from residents, local community leaders, state and regional organization and national groups. Specific speaking engagements where the Bladensburg Farm project was featured include: Association of Black Journalists, USDA's annual Community Food Project conference; ASLA Regional Landscape Architecture Conference, Shepherdstown, WV; DC Area Regional Grantmakers Conference; Place Matters Conference 2014; DC Area Americorps Volunteers; What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Plans are to: Goal 1: To establish a compost facility and residential garden/farm at Autumn Woods Apartments. Continue to build out the beds and soil quality of growing areas, expanding capacity to produce vegetables. Complete construction of the on farm processing kitchen and storage facility Install solar collectors to provide electricity to the farm Goal 2: To convert a significant quantity of residential food waste to nutrient-rich soil for food production. Construct composting facilities at the farm, including a vermicomposting facility and station for food waste drop off. Create and promote a collection system for area residents to drop off their food waste at the farm. Goal 3: ECO City Farms at Autumn Woods Apartments is a hub for community building, health, and wellness. Operate the Let's Talk Food nutrition education training program and hold free sessions in the Autumn Woods area community. Hold two sessions of ECO's Seed to Feed Summer Youth Program at the farm in summer 2015, reaching at least 25 youth. Perform outreach to reach residents about becoming involved in the farm, learning about healthy eating and active living issues, and how to access healthy food. Hold programming and activities to engage local residents in after school volunteer programs, learning opportunities, food and cooking demonstrations, outreach and on farm volunteer assistance ranging from regular volunteering to apprentices and interns. Partner with area entities such as the mayor, civic groups, schools, businesses and resident groups to create new programs and initiatives originating at or connected to the farm to increase food access and/or healthy eating, active living goals. Use the urban farm as a model for community building, health and wellness by continuing to promote it as a community resource for area residents and a vehicle for positive change. Goal 4: The low-income community has better control over their food choices by increased access and ability to produce and obtain healthy foods. Continue to operate the Eat Local Farm Share affordable farm share program, using produce from the farm, geared to serving lower income residents of the area, including the Autumn Woods complex, which accepts SNAP/EBT as a form of payment. Operate of on farm stand or market at the farm or nearby location to provide local fresh food to area residents, and offer payment by benefits such as SNAP, WIC, and FMNP. Encourage local healthy food businesses to thrive by offering a business incubator farmers market either at the Bladensburg Farm or location nearby. This program would bring more food items to this low access area, as well as develop new healthy food entrepreneurs. Use the farm as a model for urban farming and advocate for other avenues of fresh food access for residents. Encourage residents to seek out farmers markets and other local sources of fresh food, to directly impact and change their health. Goal 5: Institutional Capacity Continue internal evaluation processes to determine project's effectiveness and success. Create sustainability plan for beyond Year 3 funding. Work with officials in all the Port Towns and Prince George's Planning Department to plan how ECO's Bladensburg Farm fits into the larger plan for greening the Port Towns and improving food access beyond the farm's borders. Act as key participant in the Prince George's County Food Equity Council, in order to encourage the proliferation of urban farming, meet food access needs in low income areas, and to promote food access equity throughout the county. Promote the project to local regional and national entities as well as news outlets as a solution for bringing food to low access areas.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Goals & Planning: ECO focused on establishing a fully functional composting operation and urban farm in Bladensburg, Md., producing nutrient rich soil, healthy food, training and jobs for residents and the community. ECO uses milestones to chart progress and to plan for the coming year. ECO built on the tasks accomplished in Year 1 to with additional goals for Year 2 to fulfill overall goals of establishing a fully operational farm. It also planned activities that build towards self-sufficiency goals to create financial stability. Outreach: ECO continued its outreach strategy: to disseminate information about the project to the community; encourage volunteers at the farm; attend the nutrition education training and other learning opportunities; participate in the low cost farm share program and attend the Summer Youth Program. ECO widened the project's scope and target audiences beyond those living in the Autumn Woods apartments in order to have a greater impact on healthy eating, active living in our target "food desert" community, engaging those living and working near the farm with Healthy Eating, Active Living goals. Farm Building Improvements: In Year 2, activities for planning and constructing building projects on the farm was a high priority using previously awarded funds from the Redevelopment Authority of Prince George's County. ECO developed the farm's basic structure, creating productive growing areas and installing key resources needed for successful farming operation. Soil was built up in current and new growing areas, with leaves from the Town of Bladensburg's leaf collection and rich compost from ECO's Edmonston farm. Permaculture berms were added to capture rainwater and direct it beneficially to growing areas while preventing erosion on hillside areas. Staff repaired fencing around perimeter of land, and installed colorful banners on the fence announcing the new summer on farm stand, installed an additional pedestrian gate and installed ECO City Farms signs to make the project visible and to provide ready contact information. Water service installed at the farm from water mains, essential to water growing areas as well as for preparing produce. Working with the Neighborhood Design Center, created a physical plan of the farm that includes composting facilities, a processing kitchen and storage area, hoophouses, water installation, gray water collection and expanded growing areas. Construction began on the processing kitchen and storage area. Low Income Farm Share: ECO created a multi-farm CSA with produce from the farm and area sustainable farmers in order to reach more residents with fresh food in this food desert area. It recruited more than 30 farm share customers from the immediate area and inside the beltway communities. ECO obtained a SNAP/EBT permit and terminal in order for farm share members to use SNAP benefits to pay for their weekly shares. This reached more than 77 people weekly in 31 area households. On-Farm Market Stand: ECO ran an on-farm market stand at the Bladensburg Farm from June to October 2014 to provide fresh produce to area residents at an affordable price. It gave the ECO opportunity to communicate directly with residents about how to prepare produce and how to use more fresh food in their daily eating. It reached more than 200 residents. Urban Farm Zoning Amendment: ECO City Farms supported a change in the Prince George's County zoning ordinance to permit urban farms in the area. This issue had to be resolved before any major farm building could occur at the site and was passed by the Prince George's County Council November 2013. The legislation allowed for urban farming on land zoned multifamily under certain circumstance, and gave ECO authority to develop composting and farming operations and build required structures at the Bladensburg Farm. It also was a milestone for proliferating urban farming in the county, especially low income and low food access areas. Compost Facility: Construction of a compost facility for vermicomposting and collection/deposit of food waste materials will be implemented in Year 3 of the project. Nutrition Education Training: ECO learned from resident surveys that it is necessary to provide outreach education on healthy food preparation and eating in order for local residents to choose healthy locally grown food. ECO developed community based training funded by the county health department using Centers for Disease Control funds. It partnered with the Maryland University of Integrative Health to develop a curriculum for training called "Let's Talk Food" with two components: a practical, free two hour session offered to community groups about nutrition; and training local residents to be trainers of others in nutrition education and lead sessions. ECO coordinated more than 30 Let's Talk Food sessions, reaching more than 300 local attendees. Outreach: ECO conducted a great deal of outreach: door to door outreach, posting info and flyers, attending community meetings; holding the nutrition education program at several locations near the farm; hosting a community public forum to discuss the farm, its goals and residents' involvement; and promoting the farm and its goals at a number of community events reaching thousands of area residents. Volunteer Hours: Volunteer hours at the farm gave 150 people a chance to become involved in the work of the farm. ECO also gave student community service hours for local students, which attracted and involved a number of area youth and raised awareness of farming in urban areas and food systems. Partnerships: ECO's key partnerships include: apartment complex management; town government; the Magic Johnson Empowerment Center; and community entities such as nearby residential communities, elementary, middle and high schools, senior centers, local government leaders, community members, businesses and places of worship. Summer Youth Program: ECO's Summer Youth Program is a four week camp for high school students held at the farm. In 2014 more than 30 youth learned about farming and the food system through farming, cooking, beekeeping and nutrition education. The youth grew and harvested food at the Bladensburg farm weekly and were given a bag of produce to take home and cook for their families. Urban Agriculture Certificate Courses: ECO City Farms held two sessions of its Urban Agriculture Certificate Course in 2014, both of which had sessions located at the Bladensburg Farm. Farm Tours: ECO conducted regular tours for residents at the Bladensburg Farm to show residents what sustainable food growing production means. Employment: In Year 2, ECO employed three local residents on a part time basis: a farm assistant ten hours a week; a part time outreach assistant, which became full time in Year 3; and a high school student farm stand assistant. Surveys: ECO will conduct a final survey in Year 3 following a baseline survey in Year 1. It measured the before and after receptivity to healthy food of our Summer Youth attendees, all of whom reported to have increased knowledge and support of healthy eating, active living after their experience. Prince George's Food Equity Council: ECO worked with local partners to form the Prince George's County Food Equity Council to encourage the proliferation of urban farming, meet food access needs in low income areas, and to promote equitable food access throughout the county. Publicity/Dissemination: The project was featured prominently in ECO's website/Facebook page and several articles in local newspapers. ECO spoke on the project at national and local conferences and events, such as a HUD conference on low income housing, and a "Place Matters" conference tour in summer 2013, attended by national food access advocates. It continues to be a learning project in process and ECO will continue to discuss challenges and successes during implementation.
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Progress 09/01/12 to 08/31/13
Outputs
Target Audience: During the reporting period, ECO staff and volunteers reached several key audiences: residents and workers in the surrounding neighborhood as beneficiaries and planning partners of the farm’s Healthy Eating, Active Living goals. This included staff, teachers, parents and students at nearby schools, community centers, senior facilities, neighborhood associations, and businesses. Changes/Problems: Scope Expansion: In the first year of project operation, ECO discovered the population of the Autumn Woods complex was highly transient. ECO decided to widen the circumference of the target area around the Autumn Woods complex, taking in more residential units such as nearby low-income senior living apartments, townhouses and a condo building across from the farm’s entrance. ECO staff began to engage residents and workers in the surrounding neighborhood as beneficiaries and planning partners of the farm’s Healthy Eating, Active Living goals. This included staff, teachers, parents and students at nearby schools, community centers, senior facilities, neighborhood associations, and businesses. This widened the project’s scope and target audiences in order to have a greater impact on healthy eating, active living in our target “food desert” community. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Staff attended the Roots and Remedy Conference, Houston, TX July 26-28, 2013 to both learn about local food solutions and speak about the Autumn Woods Farm project. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Through conferences, speaking engagements, direct meetings with local leaders and residents, and one on one conversations. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Plans are to: Complete the Let’s Talk Food nutrition education training holding sessions in the Autumn Woods area community. Develop a master physical plan for the farm Continue to build out the beds and soil quality of growing areas, expanding capacity to produce vegetables. Hold two sessions of ECO’s Seed to Feed Summer Youth Program at the farm in summer 2014. Hold public meetings to convey goals and activities of the farm to area residents, and encourage them to become involved by volunteering or serving on a committee. Develop an affordable farm share program using product from the farm, geared to serving lower income residents of the area, including the Autumn Woods complex, which accepts SNAP/EBT as a form of payment. Continue to perform outreach to reach residents about becoming involved in the farm, learning about healthy eating and active living issues, and how to access healthy food. Develop programming and activities to engage local residents in after school volunteer programs, learning opportunities, food and cooking demonstrations, outreach and on farm volunteer assistance ranging from regular volunteering to apprentices and interns.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Responses below listed by Goal/subgoal # due to short amount of space: 1.1: Goals and Vision: ECO reaffirmed the project’s long term goal and vision – to establish a fully functional composting operation and urban farm at the 480 unit subsidized Autumn Woods Apartments in Bladensburg, Md., that produces nutrient rich soil, healthy food, training and jobs in the food system for Autumn Woods residents and the adjacent community, drawing from lessons learned at ECO City Farms at Edmonston. Outreach: ECO quickly realized that many people in the community, including the residents of the Emerson House Senior Center across the street from our land, were adversely impacted by the lack of access to healthy nutritious food within a few miles radius. We therefore decided to expand and extend our outreach and community engagement plans to include a wider circle of surrounding neighbors, organizations and institutions. Scope Expansion: In addition, ECO staff began to engage residents and workers in the surrounding neighborhood as beneficiaries and planning partners of the farm’s Healthy Eating, Active Living goals. This included staff, teachers, parents and students at nearby schools, community centers, senior facilities, neighborhood associations, and businesses. This widened the project’s scope and target audiences in order to have a greater impact on healthy eating, active living in our target “food desert” community. Farm Produce Distribution Plan: In consultation with our partners, ECO determined three significant components of the garden/farm structure: a) that the farm would be farmed as a single unit by ECO staff and local resident youth and adult volunteers, rather than broken into smaller plots; b) that the produce from the farm would be made available for sale to area residents at an affordable price and not distributed for free; and, c) that all local residents would be encouraged to participate broadly in a wide range of farm and food-related activities. 2.1 ECO staff worked on several key areas of the farm during Year 1 to prepare the space to not just be productive but to signal that it would be a community asset. Youth program: In summer 2012, ECO hosted its first Summer Youth program at the Bladensburg farm. The work performed by the youth just prior to the commencement of this grant allowed us to build upon their work as well as harvest crops at the farm in 2012. Soil rebuilding: ECO tested soil samples throughout the farm to identify harmful elements and current soil conditions, which showed the soil was free of contaminants but the quality was poor for food production. The soil was tilled, cover cropped and amendments were added, including leaves from the Town of Bladensburg’s leaf collection, plus rich compost and vermicompost from ECO’s Edmonston farm. Permaculture bed development: In the Spring 2012, ECO staff brought two different teams of Permaculture experts to the farm and apartment complex. The instructor, a world renowned expert in permaculture, and students suggested that ECO redesign our crop beds in a curved shape to maximize the capture of rainwater and to direct it beneficially to growing areas, as well as to prevent soil erosion. Later that year, the rows were planned, dug and planted in accordance with permaculture methods during the first summer of the project. Signs and fencing: The landlord replaced and/or repaired fencing around perimeter of land, and ECO staff designed and installed banners on the fence to announce the farm as a growing space to produce food for the community. Trash and debris removal: There was significant amount of trash and debris scattered around the 3+ acre site, accumulated over ten years that the land lay vacant. ECO staff and volunteers cleared the space of trash, brambles and debris to prepare it for use as a farm and community gathering space. Gate installation: ECO installed a gate in the fence adjacent to the Autumn Woods apartment complex to improve access to the farm. USDA CFP Funds Leverage Additional Grants: ECO leveraged additional funding after the development of the Bladensburg farm began. The Redevelopment Authority of Prince George’s County, Md., committed $50,000 in funds to build structures on the farm once ECO secured permission to build on the land. The Institute for Public Health Innovation, using Centers for Disease Control funds, awarded ECO a $117,000 grant to develop a low-income farm share program using produce grown at this farm in Year 2. 3.1: Outreach to Community Residents: ECO led several community planning sessions during Year 1 and distributed information about the project to the community at Autumn Woods Apartment Complex. Development of HEAL training courses: ECO began to develop community-based training courses in Nutrition Education. It developed the curriculum and structure for these programs called Let’s Talk Food, piloting sessions at the Autumn Woods apartment complex. 3.2 Resident Survey: In order to learn more about residents’ attitudes about fresh produce as well as barriers to its access and to get a baseline understanding of our residents, ECO conducted a resident survey of those at the apartment complex in June 2013.This door to door survey, conducted by volunteers, trained and monitored by our evaluators, was filled out by 123 heads of households.It showed that the majority of residents interviewed have a positive attitude towards fresh produce, and that 59% of residents had shopped at a farmers market before and that the reasons they had shopped there was to get fresh food. In terms of barriers, many stated that they think fresh, organically grown food is just too expensive, although they would prefer to have it. Another barrier was lack of knowledge about how to cook locally grown produce and many reported a lack of transportation to a grocery that offered fresh produce. 3.3: The 2013 Summer Youth Program for 15 area youth ages 13-17 worked on the farm, building beds, planting produce, and learned about food systems and economics of food. ECO City Farms held two sessions of its Urban Agriculture Certificate Course in 2013 at the Bladensburg Farm. 4.1: ECO began developing curriculum and designing an outreach strategy for delivering nutrition and cooking education called “Let’s Talk Food,” to residents of Autumn Woods and in surrounding communities. 4.2: ECO held outreach events and public forum meetings to provide information on the farm and its goals and conducted farm tours at both farms for local residents weekly. 4.3: Two local youth from the farm were employed during Year 1. 4.4: We conducted a baseline survey and surveys later on in the project will be measured against this data. 5.1: ECO Staff and board members evaluate our progress toward achieving each of our established milestones. ECO has been working with the Port Towns and Prince George’s Planning Department to plan how ECO’s Bladensburg Farm fits into the larger plan for improving food access beyond the farm’s borders. ECO staff successfully advocated for a passage of Prince George’s County Md. zoning ordinance amendment allowing development of urban farms in the county. This milestone project allowed further investment into the Bladensburg Farm and building farm structures and proliferation of urban farming in the county in other areas, especially low income and low food access areas. 5.2 & 5.4: ECO staff spoke about the project at national and local conferences and events, such as a HUD conference on low income housing. The progress of development of the Bladensburg Farm, along with events held there such as Summer Youth Program, Let’s Talk Food conversations and other events were featured regularly on ECO City Farms’ website, Facebook page, e-newsletter and other outlets during Year 1.
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