Easton Urban Farm Marks First Year

A few years ago, Easton set up a community garden behind the Easton Area .

At first, things went pretty well. Then, not so well.

"We had people who would come, pay the city $10, come back two or three times, then not come back," said Lexie Rodriguez, the master gardener who oversees the project. "By July or August, the weeds were four feet tall."

Earlier this year, the space underwent a transformation, from community garden to urban farm. On Tuesday night, organizers of the farm decided to show it off as the season wound down.

The project is overseen by the West Ward Neighborhood Partnership, which operates a number of community gardens in that section of the city.

But there's really no place in the West Ward with this much room, said Sophia Feller of the WWNP. 

This space allows gardeners to grow tomatoes, potatoes, peppers and sunflowers, as well as bigger crops like eggplants and squash.

A lot of it goes to the neighborhood center's food bank, Feller said, although people are welcome to grow their own vegetables on site.

Rodriguez said she'd like to expand the farm so that it grows fruit as well as vegetables. She also wants more people to come check it out "so that they see that it's not just weeds."

If you're interested in volunteering, call 610-515-0891.