- After closing in 2008, an old Birmingham elementary school was transformed into an urban farm in 2017.
- The annual 50,000 pounds of fruits and vegetables are distributed to Birmingham’s disadvantaged communities at no cost.
- Those affected by environmental justice can enjoy fresh and healthy produce.
- The farm also acts as an open-air classroom to educate communities about food and where it comes from.
- Future plans are to renovate the actual building to create a teaching kitchen and community center.
By: Birmingham Watch | January 9, 2023
At west Birmingham’s old Woodrow Wilson Elementary School, on the nearly 4 acres that were once the school’s grounds, area residents tend to their own small garden plots with all manner of fruits and vegetables. The potatoes, greens, squash and other produce raised here — as much as 50,000 pounds a year — is distributed within the community, free of charge.
What started as a means to prevent the old school from becoming a blight on the neighborhood is now the Bush Hills Community Garden and Urban Farm. Located about a mile from Legion Field, plans are underway for more than just agriculture. Some residents believe it is a model for other projects that adapt existing structures to the needs of their surrounding communities…
The hoop house is a large enclosure where plants are grown inside and protected from the elements, especially in colder months. Since opening, the operation has also hired a farm manager to oversee the near-constant work required to grow crops year-round…
Whenever produce is harvested, neighborhood residents are contacted via social media, phone and even person-to-person. Community members are allowed to get what they need for personal use and sometimes a bit more…
After about four years in operation, the project is beginning a new phase. With help from corporate partners — architecture and engineering firm Goodwyn Mills Cawood, and construction firm BL Harbert — Bush Hills Connections is renovating the old school building itself, turning the former cafeteria into a teaching kitchen and the gym into a community center.
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