Laying Down Roots: How Feed Phoenix Helped Project Roots Expand Community Gardens
Bridget Pettis, founder of Projects Roots. Image by Mahoghany Foster-Newell: "Stay Focused", Photography.
It’s fall planting season at Spaces of Opportunity, an 18-acre incubator farm in South Phoenix that hosts community and family gardens and small-farm plots. Sunday mornings are bustling as farmers prep for their next harvest—planting seeds, tending to their crop rows, hand-pulling weeds, installing sprinklers, and gathering water from that morning’s irrigation. The farm spaces are tended to by those living in the neighborhood, backyard gardeners who’ve taken their passion to the next level, and numerous small farmers who provide fresh produce that appears at the onsite Saturday farmers market and other local markets in the Phoenix area.
Her passion for planting food, growing community gardens, and feeding the hungry inspired Bridget Pettis, a former Phoenix Mercury player and WNBA coach, to start Project Roots, a non-profit organization that promotes a healthier, natural, and more sustainable way of life for those living in the food deserts of Phoenix. The organization originally began farming at Agave Farms and has since expanded into Spaces of Opportunity.
Project Roots’ mission is to give individuals in need access to fresh, locally grown produce and to encourage others to grow. They provide education, resources, and access to farmland and gardens for Phoenicians to grow their own food. “Project Roots focuses on teaching the youth, and even adults, about where food comes from,” said Frances Xavier Parson, Project Roots’ Farm Manager. “Our purpose is also about teaching communities how to be self-sustainable—how to grow their own food, and that they can do it anywhere, including in their homes and apartments.”
Reinvesting in the Community on a Larger Scale
Projects Roots supplied 500 produce bags at the annual Phoenix Food Day. The City of Phoenix and Junior League of Phoenix hosted the drive-thru event at the Cartwright Community Garden & District Offices to inspire people to change how we look at food.
The Feed Phoenix Initiative put CARES Act dollars to work by bringing high-quality meals to vulnerable populations across the city. The City of Phoenix partnered with Local First Arizona to recruit local restaurants, caterers, mobile markets, and farmers to help prepare these meals in order to sustain local jobs and supply chains, strengthen the local food economy and, most importantly, help keep all Phoenicians healthy during the ongoing economic and social crisis. Each participating farm is paid for the produce they provide, and restaurants and caterers are compensated for each meal they make for the program.
As a Feed Phoenix farm, Project Roots provides weekly CSA bags that are distributed weekly across Phoenix to organizations that support those in need. As a Feed Phoenix farm, Project Roots provides fresh produce CSA bags, which include fresh fruits, vegetables, leafy greens, and herbs harvested the same day or day before. These bags are then delivered to Phoenix community centers and low income housing areas to support those who have limited access to fresh produce.
The Feed Phoenix funding has helped Project Roots maintain their two farms and do the good work of making fresh grown food accessible to all. Dionne Washington, Project Roots’ Director, mentioned that because of the funding they were able to add a 2,500 gallon water tank that helps them store their weekly ration of water and enabled them to acquire more land. The increased acreage lets them grow more produce and also allows them to offer over 20 farming rows to the Phoenix community who are interested in growing their own fruits and vegetables. Each row can be rented for $100 a year or 100 volunteer hours.
“To see how Feed Phoenix has kept local farmers and restaurants going while giving fresh food directly to people who need it most takes what we do to a deeper level. This program allows us to share our food across the city, feed those in need, and build communities. Feed Phoenix has planted a seed for others to think that maybe they should start growing, too, which is why we used the funding to create more garden space.”
A Project Roots volunteer plants seedlings at Spaces of Opportunity.
“The rows allow space for family and friends to come together in this communal farming space and open field to work the land and breathe the clean air,” Frances said. “It opens opportunities. It’s a space to be at peace and to interact and learn with other farmers. If you’re more of a solitary type, this is also the perfect space to do your own thing and be one with the earth.”
The rows function as a communal space for those wanting a more working-farm setting or who have no access to land because they live in high-density, communal living spaces. The rows include weekly irrigation and serve as an outlet for aspiring farmers to grow and have their produce for sale at the onsite farmers market or participate in the programs that Project Roots is doing, such as being part of weekly CSA bags.
“We’re here as an avenue for them to ask questions and to offer direction and guidance if they’re interested in creating a farming business themselves,” Frances added. “If they just want to grow for their family and their community that’s fine, too. Project Roots is here to support and help them flourish and grow.”
Interested in Joining the AZ Farming Community?
To learn how to volunteer or reserve a row/community garden space with Project Roots, contact them here. If you aren’t in the South Phoenix area but want to start growing with other farmers, click the button below to explore community gardens across Arizona: