Urban Roots - Year 3

Urban Roots' third year is underway. Look for us at the Austin Farmers' Market Downtown and at the Triangle starting April 10th (Downtown) and April 14th (Triangle). And keep an eye out for special events, community lunches, and our Summer Farm Fest. Our CSA is closed for 2010, but look for opportunities to join for the 2011 season starting this fall!

Urban Roots is in its third season of existence. We are now growing on 3.5 acres with thirty youth and countless volunteers. We grew over 21,000 pounds of produce last year and are looking to double that number this year. Forty percent of what we harvest is donated to local hunger relief efforts. Come participate in our work. Come Visit Us on the Farm.

Check out two videos done by Meals on Wheels and More and the Capitol Area Food Bank that highlight the Urban Roots' hunger relief work at our News page HERE

Bring a class to the farm

We love having groups come to visit us. Click HERE for information about bringing school groups to the farm.

Invite our youth leaders to come speak at your school

Our high-school age farm interns have worked for 5 months on our urban sustainable farm, learning about agriculture, community service, how to run farmers' markets, hunger in Central Texas, where food comes from, and how to work hard. They have led volunteers and middle school groups on the farm and have had opportunities to speak in front of different groups. Now we would like to bring our youth to middle schools to speak about their experience and what they've learned about themselves and about growing food. Email Mike to ask how this is possible.

Celebrating our Youth

The Urban Roots community (youth, volunteers, staff) grew over 20,000 lbs of produce in 2009 and we donated 8,700 to food pantries and shelters. Collectively, our youth worked 160 hours at hunger relief organizations including Caritas, Meals on Wheels and More, and the Capitol Area Food Bank. Together they spent 2,508 hours on the land planting, weeding, harvesting, and doing other farmwork and over 4,000 hours in the program total. And they spent about 10 hours each in kitchens learning to cook and making delicious healthy dishes for themselves and the community during Community Lunches and cooking classes.

To learn about applying to be a Farm Intern, click HERE

Celebrating our Volunteers

Volunteers are an integral part of Urban Roots. We couldn't handle the weekday harvests without our reliable crew of volunteers, which this year included our regular Tuesday and Thursday group, our Saturday volunteers who came out in the cool spring and spicy hot summer, and our corporate volunteers from a variety of businesses around Austin. And our program wouldn't be complete without chefs donating their time for cooking classes and Community Lunches, students leading workshops on farm worker rights, and professionals leading our money management workshop - just to name some. Thanks to everyone who helped out this year! In all sincerity - we couldn't have done it without you.

To learn about volunteering, click HERE

Celebrating our VISTAs

AmeriCorps VISTAs commit a year of their lives to serving others. Our two VISTA staff members - Carly and Shirene - are an invaluable part of our team and are truly committed to the program, the community, and the Urban Roots youth. Whether it's coordinating volunteers, organizing and tracking the distribution of food donations, leading healthy lunch or pico de gallo-making workshops for youth, or facilitating community discussions about food access in Austin - Shirene and Carly's contributions are of vital importance to Urban Roots.

To learn about applying to be a VISTA, click HERE

Urban Roots is still in need of many tools and other things. Click HERE to see the Urban Roots wishlist. Here are a few things of note: