Teaser: In this issue of Farmer Hot Takes, we speak to Farm School NYC Program Coordinator Connor Vaughn.e discusses the importance of plant wisdom, traditional ecological knowledge, how to build resiliency within urban food systems, and how members of the Co-op can be part of a broader food justice movement right here in our community.

Chris Kennedy: Can you tell me about Farm School NYC and its mission, as well as how folks from the Co-op could get involved? 

Connor Vaughn: Farm School NYC is transformative. We’re a small organization teaching folks about urban agriculture through the lens of food justice. We have certificate programs and offer individual courses. When we’re starting seeds during our propagation class in spring, we’re not only talking about proper watering, heating, and ventilation, we’re talking about how seeds connect us to our ancestors and hold valuable cultural histories. Growing food is an opportunity to reflect on the intersection of culture, economics, labor, racial in/equity, and environmental crises in order to better understand our place in the world, and how we can cultivate communities in balance with the miracle of life all around us. We hope everyone can join us for a sliding scale course and stay up to date with our email list on our website.

CK: What's the current state of urban agriculture in NYC? 

CV: There’s a lot going on, and there could always be more! Everything from elders in gardens caring for pepper varieties passed down for generations to multimillion dollar initiatives backed by capital investment. There are various intersecting ecosystems around soil based practices, rooftops, nonprofit orgs, ag tech, soilless growing, community gardens, and more. All housed under the term urban agriculture. Because growing food is directly tied to land, urban agriculture can be an agent of gentrification or a community stronghold. We need to support growers of color and growing spaces that benefit historically dispossessed communities in the face of an aggressive real estate agenda. 

CK: When thinking about issues of climate change, equity, and building resiliency within food systems, what are some important issues you think people at the Co-op should be aware of? 

CV: There’s so much to talk about. One thing I think about is the organic buzz. Obviously, we shouldn’t be using pesticides and chemical fertilizers. But instead of buying a certified organic apple from New Zealand, I’d rather buy an IPM (integrated pest management) or minimally treated apple from NY state. Getting certified organic can be economically and logistically difficult for smaller farmers who use sound growing practices like Rock Steady Farm and Rise & Root Farm. Then on the flip side, certified organic produce can be prohibitively expensive for consumers. One store making waves is the Rolling Grocer in Hudson. They’re a sliding scale grocery store offering shoppers three tiers based on income and financial privilege. 

More philosophically, I believe our answers lie in the past. Our future is not going to be solved by the next invention. We need to look to the past to see how our ancestors and indigenous communities lived (and live) in greater harmony with the world. I’m grateful for all of the indigenous authors who have shared their plant wisdom in books like “Braiding Sweetgrass”, “Plants Have So Much To Give Us,” and “Buffalo Bird Woman’s Garden.” I used to wonder how people got vitamins and minerals during the winter before our globalized industrial food system. Some people might be surprised to learn that pine needles contain more vitamin C than citrus fruit, and are available right here all winter long. The solutions we need already exist — we just have to collectively remember.

CK: Are there ways for our members to get involved in the local food movement more broadly, through coalition building, supporting local farm policy, regenerative management practices, or other initiatives? 

CV: Always! While policies are important for affecting scale, I usually recommend starting in one’s communities and neighborhood. Check out what’s going on at a community garden and talk with neighbors. There’s some really inspiring work not far from Greene Hill at Hattie Carthan Community Garden & Market. They’re one of the oldest community gardens, and run youth programs, a market, and have chickens! And if you’re more interested in policy, we meet indoors at a social movement space we partner with in Midtown called The People’s Forum. They have compelling intersectional programming that we’re proud to be a part of. I’m also a fan of the notion to “transform oneself to transform the world.” I recommend people get to know all of the life that surrounds them, even in the city — the street trees, sidewalk weeds, and surprising biodiversity in many larger parks. Like food coops, I believe foraging is an empowering practice to realize food sovereignty — the agency to decide the who what where when how why of your food. Of course, I don’t recommend eating plants off the sidewalk, and always absolutely positively ID something before enjoying. But paying attention to (and eating) the quiet, green drama unfolding around us every day can help attune our lifestyles and open our eyes to plants as our greatest teachers. I invite everyone to take a moment (or a while) to reflect on our extractive relationships with plants and how we can nourish mutually beneficial futures.

To learn more about Farm School NYC, visit: http://www.farmschoolnyc.org/

Connor Vaughn (he/him) is the Program Coordinator at Farm School NYC. Connor is a queer educator, forager, and uncle. He joined Farm School in autumn 2016 and continues to grow deeper in love with this community each season. His background synthesizes education, program administration, and urban agriculture.

Images courtesy Farm School NYC