North St. Louis urban farm cultivates community, health and opportunity

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) - The goals for an urban farm in north St. Louis mean more than just growing fresh food; it’s finding new ways to give back to the community.

Just off Hogan Street in North St. Louis, that’s where you can find Antajuan Adams. He spends most of his days digging, planting and educating at New Roots Urban Farm.

“Having this small little oasis for the neighborhood goes a long way,” Antajuan Adams said, lead facilitator at New Roots Urban Farms.

The farm planted its roots over two decades ago.

“It was started 21 years ago by people who was fed up with the government role or lack thereof in eating healthy in these types of neighborhoods, so they acquired this space and turned it into an urban garden” he said.

Adams ed the effort 11 years ago.

“I fell into it, in a time in my life where I needed something to really dig into, no pun intended, and just stumbled across the place,” he said.

It’s a community garden that offers fresh produce, a sense of belonging and a chance to give back.

“The community that I was born and raised in, it definitely, that’s why it is so great that this farm exist here. the neighborhood is very disenfranchised for a while now,” he said.

Come this summer, Adams hopes to give back even more. He created a GoFundMe that helps the farm and also the folks in the neighborhood.

“We are going to use those funds to pay seniors, teenagers and kiddos in the neighborhood to come help us out on the farm,” he said.

He said it is more than just a job.

“Just really having your hands in the soil really goes a long way for your psyche,” Adams said.

He gives people the tools to feel better and to eat better along the way.

“The more we expose these people to eating hyper-local fruits and veggies, the better it is for everybody,” he said.

The farm is open to the public on Tuesdays and Saturdays. For more information on New Roots Urban Farm, visit its website.

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