This post is part of Brianna Jefferson’s 2022 Yale Farm Summer Internship Independent Project.
The focus of my Independent Project was researching the significance of community gardens in cities experiencing food apartheid. I was interested in the role of these gardens, and how they helped connect individuals in their collective struggles. I also knew that I wanted to focus on New Haven, because it’s a space that I haven’t spent enough time examining in my regular coursework. My defining questions for my project were about the use of the word “community” to describe these gardens. Does the element of “community” help empower citizens and bring them together in their food struggles? How important is having a community? My research methods involved studying the different types of community gardens in New Haven and choosing one as the case study. I chose to focus on Armory Community Garden because not only does it do a wonderful job of connecting people with the land, and fresh produce, but it also emphasizes the importance of community. Armory is a place of gathering, and hosts community events that range from book club meetings, to Juneteenth celebrations, and cooking demonstrations. During my time volunteering at the garden, I saw children from as young as six years old running around and helping with the lettuce harvest, to an elderly woman in a wheelchair helping to water the crops. The space is open to everyone in the community and welcomes them in. My photo essay was a way for me to celebrate the work that Armory Garden does and share what I learned over the course of my summer.