Urban Agriculture Services

Village Gardens

Village Gardens, a 60,000 square foot urban agriculture program, uses sustainable organic gardening and farming to increase access to healthy food, improve economic opportunities and build unity with low-income residents of North Portland. Based in the St. Johns Woods public housing development; New Columbia, the Housing Authority of Portland’s newly built Hope VI development; and on an acre of Metro land on Sauvie Island, the program includes individual and family garden plots, employment opportunities for adults and teens, after-school and summer activities for children, homework clubs, a mobile market shuttle and a youth-run entrepreneurial business growing and marketing specialty salad mixes at local farmers markets.

Across the country sustainable urban agriculture programs like Village Gardens are proving to be an effective tool in addressing community issues ranging from hunger and food insecurity, community revitalization, environmental stewardship and economic development.

Village Gardens includes:

St. Johns Woods Garden Project

The 7,000 square foot St. Johns Woods Garden Project enables 30 families living 200% below federal poverty guidelines to grow their own food by providing seeds, tools, fertile land, water, and technical support. Housing Authority of Portland property managers at St. Johns Woods credit the project with reducing vandalism and increasing collaborative problem solving among residents.

Big Apple Garden Club

Located at St. Johns Woods, the Big Apple Garden Club is a year-round educational gardening club where children 13 and under learn to grow their own food with the help of neighborhood parents, teens and program partners.

Garden Mentors

Garden Mentors is an employment program for resident leaders from the St. Johns Woods Gardens, which provides guidance and coaching to the Seeds of Harmony Garden Committee.

Market Shuttle

Providing monthly transportation to local farmers markets, the Market Shuttle serves North Portland residents eligible for Oregon Trail food benefits and WIC/Senior Farmers Market Coupons.

Seeds of Harmony Garden

A 24,000 square foot garden, the Seeds of Harmony Garden serves as a community meeting place, a source of food and an educational tool for the diverse residents of the Housing Authority of Portland’s New Columbia and Tamaracks housing communities.

Food Works

A youth employment program, Food Works engages 14-21 year olds in all aspects of planning and running an entrepreneurial farm business located on an acre of METRO land on Sauvie Island, a 70-member community give-away garden and the Big Apple Garden Club. Working side by side with Village Gardens’ staff, community residents, local farmers, business owners and non-profit leaders, Food Works’ Crew Members learn business, leadership, organic agriculture and other work skills. Crew Members also receive school credit for their work and are supported to transition into other employment opportunities and post secondary education (five Food Works’ graduates, all immigrants from East Africa, have received college scholarships through Janus’ Scholarship program).

Video by Cooking Up A Story