THEY ARE TURNING TO AGE-OLD
SOLUTIONS AND SOME PEOPLE
WILLING TO GET THEIR HANDS DIRTY
TO HELP OUT.
>> THERE IS A PATCH OF GREEN IN
RED HOOK, BROOKLYN.
YOU CAN FIND IT ON AN ABANDONED
BALL FIELD ACROSS THE STREET
FROM IKEA AND ACROSS THE STREET
FROM THE COMING AMAZON
WAREHOUSE.
THE URBAN FARMERS HAVE BEEN AT
IT HERE FOR YEARS.
ONE OF THE FARM MANAGERS.
>> YOU ARE AN URBAN FARMER?
>> YES.
BORN AND RAISED IN NEW YORK.
OUR ANCESTORS DID IT SO I FEEL
CONNECTED FROM THAT.
>> A CALLING SHE’S ANSWERED AT A
TIME OF GREAT NEED ACROSS THE
COUNTRY, WE’VE SEEN THE FOOD
LINES.
MORE THAN 50 MILLION AMERICANS
ARE EXPECTED TO GO WITHOUT
HEALTHY FOOD ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
THAT IS UP FROM 2018.
SHE AND HER COLLEAGUES AT RED
HOOK FARMS HAVE SEEN IT.
>> IMAGINE YOUR ELDERS DURING
COVID.
WOMEN WHO HAVE GIVEN BIRTH AND
PEOPLE WHO HAVE DISABILITIES.
PEOPLE IN RED HOOK LIVE IN WHAT
IS OFTEN CALLED A FOOD DESERT.
AREAS LACK ACCESS TO HJY FOODS.
THE FARM OFFERS ALTERNATIVES.
PEOPLE CAN BUY PRODUCE AT THE
FARMER’S MARKET OR A FRESH FOOD
BOX DELIVERED.
>> BETWEEN MARCH AND OCTOBER,
THE FARM DELIVERED MORE THAN
7,800 FREE FOOD BOXES TO THOSE
IN NEED.
THEY ARE NOT JUST GROWING CROPS
HERE.
CULTIVATING FUTURES.
THE 18-YEAR-OLD HERE, ALEX.
>> WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED HERE?
>> I LEARNED ALL THE DIFFERENT
VEGETABLES AND PRESERVING THE
SEEDS FOR THE FARM.
>> PAID APPRENTICESHIP TEACHES
THE INS AND OUTS OF FARMING AND
BASIC EMPLOYMENT SKILLS USED IN
ANY FIELD.
HOW DO YOU HELP A COMMUNITY
WHERE THERE IS NO FARM?
WE FOUND AN ANSWER TO THAT IN
WASHINGTON, D.C. WITH A PROGRAM
CALLED HEALTHY CORNERS.
THEY BUY PRODUCE FROM FARMS IN
VIRGINIA IN BULK AND DISTRIBUTE
IT FOR SALE IN CORNER STORES.
WHY CORNER STORES?
>> A LOT OF RESIDENTS VISIT
CORNER STORES EVERY DAY.
DURING THE PANDEMIC, THEY ARE
ABLE TO ACCESS FRESH FRUITS AND
VEGETABLES.
>> HEALTHIER OPTIONS COULD NOT
COME AT A BETTER TIME FOR MANY
IN BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES.
HEALTH OFFICIALS SAY THOSE
CONDITIONS ARE MORE LIKELY TO
LAND A PERSON WHO ALSO CONTRACTS
CORONAVIRUS IN THE HOSPITAL.
BACK IN BROOKLYN, THEY HOPE THE
WORK THEY ARE DOING WILL UPROOT
SOME OF THE NATION’S MOST DEEP
SEEDED DISPARITIES.
>> I’VE HEARD THE TERM FOOD
DESERT FOR YEARS.
YOU SAID FOOD APARTHIDE.
>> WE DON’T HAVE THAT CHOICE.
IT WAS NOT, WE ONLY LIVE IN AN
AREA WHERE THERE IS ONLY LIQUOR
STORES.
>> YOU ARE REALLY PASSIONATE
ABOUT FARMING.
>> I FEEL LIKE FOOD BRINGS
PEOPLE TOGETHER.
WE DON’T HAVE TO SPEAK THE SAME
LANGUAGE OR GROW UP IN THE SAME
PLACE BUT WE ARE TALKING THROUGH
THIS FOOD.
>> YES.
WE SHOULD POINT OUT BOTH RED
HOOK FARMS IN BRUK LYNN AND IN
D.C., THEY RUN THESE NUTRITION
PROGRAMS AS WELL.
THERE HAVE BEEN STUDIES THAT
SHOW EVEN IF YOU PUT A NICE
SUPER MARKET IN A NEIGHBORHOOD
THAT WAS A FOOD DESERT, A LOT OF
FOLKS DON’T BUY THE HEALTHIER
FOOD BECAUSE YOU EAT WHAT YOU
KNOW.
>> YOU MAKE THAT POINT SO WELL
IN THE PIECE THAT IT IS NOT JUST
ABOUT GETTING FOOD TO PEOPLE BUT
HEALTHY FOOD THAT MAKES ALL THE
DIFFERENCE.
>> YES.
HARD TO IMAGINE IN 2020.