Ujima Garden

In the Spring of 2010, in partnership with Brownsville Multi-service Center (BMS) and East New York Urban Youth Corps, Slow Food NYC broke ground at the  5000 sq. ft. "Ujima" Garden in Brownsville, Brooklyn. Ujima is a Swahili word meaning “We all work together to get things done.”

In addition to a large open space, we also acquired a working kitchen and classroom. With the help of member support and the work of many Slow Food NYC volunteers we were able to clear the land and build our first “educational farm”.

At the site, we host a summer-long program with both high school and elementary students participating. We train our High School students as peer mentors who teach an intensive “Good Food and Gardening” program to groups of 9–12 year olds. In addition the students run a community farmstand, providing (luck and weather permitting) the community with fresh vegetables, eggs from our chickens, and honey from our bees.

During the school year, W.A.T.C.H. High School, one of our Urban Harvest Schools, maintains the garden and teaches classes in the classroom.