Greening the City Block

Newark is not known for its urban gardens and expansive green space. But maybe it should be. This week, the Wall Street Journal reports on Newark Conservancy, an urban farm where workers are paid eight dollars an hour to cultivate life in between rundown buildings and concrete streets. The farm has tremendous potential for urban agriculture, with nearly 1000 blocks of vacant land just waiting to be cultivated. 

Aside from localizing the food system, encouraging healthy, whole food consumption, and greening an otherwise mundance city block, the farms serve as a symbol of rebirth for a city that has seen its fair share of hard times. The farm workers, too, are experiencing a sort of rebirth. All employees are low-level offenders, who are getting a chance to turn their lives around. 

An Urban Farm Grows in Newark from The Wall Street Journal