Bedfordview Urban Farm growing strong

The Bedfordview Urban Farm project is reaping the rewards of months of hard work. And so are a number of local soup kitchens and feeding schemes that have benefited from the hard work put in by volunteers.

Project leader Janine Carstensen said the team is preparing to harvest the last of the first summer crop in the coming weeks.

Additionally, preparation work is already underway to begin planning and planting for the next summer crop. Ward councillor for Bedfordview Jill Humphreys said on January 8, 16 large bags of greens were delivered to various soup kitchens, informal settlements and crèches in surrounding areas.

This was the second large donation of fresh produce made in the last few weeks. “The project is going a long way to feeding surrounding hungry communities,” said Humphreys.

In July, the Italian Club Johannesburg, in conjunction with FoodXchange, donated bowling greens that the Bedfordview community could use as an urban farming project.

“The Bedfordview Urban Farm was started when our Food Parcel Outreach programme came to an end.
“It was always clear that the donations from our community could not possibly be sustained indefinitely, so we started a farm,” she said.

The community immediately jumped on board and began cultivating seedlings at their homes which they donated to the project.

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By August, 120 community members had pledged their support of the project with around 80 per cent of the harvest donated toward feeding hungry communities.

“The produce grown in the garden ranges from tomatoes to potatoes and butternut. There is also a range of cucumbers, herbs and beetroot,” Humphreys said.

She added that she was proud of how far the initiative had come. Also in August, oak leaves from Van Buuren Road were collected and delivered to the farm to be used as compost for the plants.

Carstensen pointed out that the composting leaves contained acorns, which had begun sprouting. She hopes to replant these sprouting trees. Humphreys said as the effects of lockdown continue to be felt, it was now more important than ever that projects such as these are started.

In addition to supplying feeding schemes and hungry communities with much-needed fresh produce, the initiative also sells the organic produce back to the community.

Funds raised from the sale of the produce are used to keep the project running and sustainable. Residents can expect to pay around R150 for a box of organically grown vegetables.

For more information or to donate towards the farm, contact Janine at admin@foodXchange.africa or on 074 235 2898. Alternatively, residents are encouraged to visit the farm at the Italian Club situated on Marais Road.

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