A Hartford church is trying to fix what many call a "food desert" in the city's North End. Urban Hope Refuge Church celebrated its new hydroponic farm with a ribbon cutting. Nestled behind the church is a new green space meant to provide access to farm-fresh vegetables for community members in the North End.
"In low-income communities like this, food deserts are often lacking access to fresh, healthy foods, leading to poor nutrition and health issues. To address this, we created the Sacred Roots Farm," said Pastor AJ Johnson.
According to the Hartford City Council, the majority of the city's North End is over a mile away from the closest supermarket and has a poverty rate of over 20%. According to the USDA, the area would be considered a food desert.
"We're standing in what statistics and everyone says is a food desert," said Johnson. So that's where the Sacred Roots Neighborhood Farm idea came from, a Hydroponic Farming Project where fresh veggies are grown without soil, instead using water-based mineral nutrient solutions.
Read more at fox61.com