NORTHAMPTON — In the community garden at Hampshire Heights, there is a two-person bench, perfect for tenants to sit on and watch as bees pollinate their plants. The garden is modestly sized but hosts an ecosystem of flowers, vegetables, herbs, insects, and even the occasional garden gnome. Marigolds, wildflowers, and climbing bean stalks line the beds of the garden.

Similarly, at Walter Salvo House on Conz Street, residents regularly partake in the upkeep of a 22-plot community garden on the back lawn of the building. For years, residents have tended to gardens on small balconies and sidelots, but a few years ago, funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) allowed for a larger space to be constructed. Now, this space features a butterfly garden, a plot shaped like a guitar, and raised beds for residents who use wheelchairs.

As of this spring, the nonprofit Grow Food Northampton received $118,000 from the city of Northampton in ARPA funding to support community gardens at low-income housing for three years.

This money will allow for the construction of new plots at existing sites across the city, as well as support the purchase of essential resources such as tools, materials, seeds, plant starts and compost. Additionally, it will fund the consultation and training of residents and assistance with garden design, cultivation and labor.

The American Rescue Plan Act, approved by Congress in March 2021, is part of President Biden’s plans to assist Americans and their communities in recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. The act pledged to support communities through emergency grants and by providing $360 billion in funding for state, local, territorial and tribal governments to benefit their communities.

Many residents at both the Salvo House and Hampshire Heights agree that the community gardens are essential to their interactions with their fellow residents. The shared labor and rewards of tending to a garden provide them with ample opportunity to get to know their neighbors — a tool that was extremely helpful during the pandemic.

“Gardening at Hampshire Heights has been instrumental in boosting my mental health after recovering from depression,” resident Kai Aoki said. “In addition to stress reduction, the social interactions promote a sense of belonging.”

Aoki observed that the calming environment of the garden, paired with the physical activity gardening demands, helped her to feel more at peace. Overall, Aoki said her experiences with gardening led her to a full recovery from depression.

Erin Ferrentino, Grow Food Northampton’s food access manager, also spoke about how the community gardens bring people together.

“Isolation can be a challenge for residents of low-income housing,” Ferrentino said. “Even before the pandemic, half of all Americans reported feeling lonely.”

In Ferrentino’s opinion, projects like those that Grow Food Northampton is leading at subsidized housing sites are directly fighting the epidemic of loneliness and supporting community growth.

Besides providing a perfect avenue for community support and mental health assistance, the gardens have brought more practical rewards as well. Luis Ortiz, a resident of the Salvo House and longtime gardener, said the new garden is “beautiful and the plants are healthy.

“The people are content. I have planted tomatoes, cabbage, beans, and medicinal plants such as yerba buena and mint to make tea.”

Ortiz’s neighbor Alice Russell also provided a comment about the benefits of the community gardening space, saying “there are people who didn’t garden before. During the pandemic, a lot of people didn’t even come out. Now, people are supporting each other out here.”

In addition to supporting these gardens, Grow Food Northampton holds weekly free farmers markets at 11 public housing neighborhoods in Northampton and Florence, serving upward of 300 families with fresh vegetables, fruits and farm products.

To ensure better understanding of the needs of those living below the poverty line, Grow Food Northampton has established a Food Access Advisory Committee, a team of residents who have experience of food insecurity.

Northampton Housing Authority Executive Director Cara Leiper praised Grow Food’s involvement with residents of the low-income housing developments.

“Grow Food has been a great support for our residents,” Leiper said. “Their presence and funding have encouraged more residents to participate in the community gardens than we’ve had in past seasons.”

]]>