A Spotlight on Morristown's Urban Farm

MORRISTOWN, NJ - At first glance, Hazel Street seems mostly residential. However, as you make your way to the street’s end behind Lafayette Learning Center, you’ll find lush fields, blooming flowers and a bustling farmer’s market. You’ve arrived at Urban Farm.

According to the farm’s executive director Lisa Alexander, many people do not know the farm is there. Urban Farm, New Jersey’s largest public school garden , has provided farm-based education and fresh produce to the greater Morristown community for 15 years.

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Urban Farm falls underneath Grow it Green, a nonprofit focused on sustainable farms and gardens and educating communities on healthy eating and environmental stewardship. In addition to Urban Farm, there is also the Early Street Community Garden, a greenhouse on Saint Elizabeth University’s campus and a Winter Farmers Market.

Although Alexander said many older people in the community do not know about the farm, almost every student in the district does. Through both in-school and after-school programs, students are given the opportunity to get hands-on experience at the farm and see where their food comes from. In 2022, over 2,000 students participated in programs sponsored by Grow it Green.

Urban Farm hosts a farm stand every Thursday from 3 - 6 p.m. and every Saturday from 9:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. from June - October. The farm stand offers various vegetables including carrots, cucumbers, peppers, eggplant, beets and more. According to Alexander, all produce is grown through regenerative agricultural practices and without toxic chemicals.

The stand welcomes SNAP and FarmRx produce prescriptions. Urban Farm also offers Good Food Bucks and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) memberships, which provide members with produce for 21 weeks.

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Grow it Green and Urban Farm also gives back. The organization donates to Interfaith Food Pantry, nourish.NJ and Table of Hope as well as provides produce to 35 families in Newark.

Upcoming events include yoga classes every third Saturday, children’s classes every Saturday and a Spanish movie night Sept. 7.

Those interested in volunteering or donating can visit Grow it Green’s website.

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