Announcement
The 2018 Harvest Festival with Bronx Green-Up, hosted at the New Roots Community Farm.
Photo: Kathleen McTigue/IRC.
Abundance at New Roots
“I was surprised by how much stuff you can grow in a 4-by-8 bed. Amazing!”
Arnold, a Bronx resident and New Roots volunteer, shares his stories at the New Roots Community Farm. Like many other community members, he sees more than plants here — he sees abundance.
At New Roots, abundance can be found in every corner and is treasured by our community members. For some, it’s the marigold flowers that brighten farm. For others, it’s the green tomatoes that carry family memories. Even the compost system that keeps the soil alive and the farm thriving is considered an abundant element of our half-acre farm. We hope you can visit our farm and garden and take a peek at our most treasured harvest and community-built systems at New Roots!
Pepper and marigold flowers
Pepper has been working as a steward at the New Roots Community Farm since Covid, and his favorite area of New Roots is the plot of marigold flowers. There are three beds of marigolds in the farm, and their colorful petals – bright orange and golden yellow – bring beauty and energy to the farm. There is so much cultural history to this flower. In Mexico, Marigolds are usually added to atole, a traditional corn-based beverage. Not only does Pepper enjoy the view of marigolds, but he also uses them in his cooking. One of his favorite dishes to make is a mixed green salad, he loves to add marigold petals from the farm on top for a fresh taste and a splash of color.
Arnold and green tomatoes
Arnold has been a volunteer at the New Roots Community Farm for eight years. For him, the farm’s greatest treasure is the green tomato.
“I’m a tomato person,” Arnold shares.
One of his favorite meals is fried green tomato, a classic dish from the South. He even has a shirt that says, “I Love Fried Green Tomatoes,” a souvenir from Juliette, Georgia – where he visited nine times just to enjoy the dish!
At New Roots, there are tomatoes of all kinds — from yellow and purple to green, growing in various shapes and sizes. For Arnold, they bring back memories of his family. His mother used to live in rural Alabama and was known for growing outstanding tomatoes that even won local prizes. Fried green tomatoes were her signature dish and became well known in his town.
Arnold shared an anecdote from his childhood:
“As a kid, I would sometimes throw rotten tomatoes at fences for fun. One day, I noticed a plant sprouting in a corner where one had landed...[I realized] if I can grow this, I can grow anything"
-Arnold
Our full compost system
Photo: Penglu Duan / IRC in NY
Nigel and the compost system
For Nigel, who has been a steward here for three years, his favorite treasure isn’t a flower or a vegetable — it’s the compost system!
Around the farm, large silver bins can be found in several spots all over. They collect organic matter such as food scraps, dead plants, and paper waste. Instead of going to a landfill, these materials break down into soil and nutrients that the farm can reuse.
The compost system at New Roots is important for several reasons. It supports the farm’s ecosystem by reducing waste and making operations more sustainable. We engage in compost education and create a community composting initiative – an important positive effort that promotes an empowerment mindset.
The farm itself also serves as a place of reprieve from the urban landscape and opportunity to meet others, building social bonds and breaking down isolation, improving the community’s wellbeing. Together, we work to collect scraps from the community, reminding people how their trash can be turned into something useful.
New Roots addressing food insecurity
In July 2025, SNAP funding was cut by $186 billion, limiting access to food assistance for millions of low-income people. This news raised concerns over food insecurity in New York City. According to a 2024 report, 19.1% of Bronx residents (227,086 people) and 13.8% of Queens residents (310,310 people) are facing food insecurity. As of March 2025, almost three million New Yorkers relied on SNAP.
In response to this, our IRC in NY New Roots program provides community-led programming which has brought these treasures to a state of abundance, offering the community health vegetables at low to no-cost.
Help us sustain our abundant New Roots program
Beyond our abundant marigolds, green tomatoes, and restorative compost system, our New Roots Community Farm and Garden as a whole are a true treasure. But we cannot tend to these treasures alone...we invite you to donate and share the word on Facebook and your community to help us protect the NYC treasure that is our New Roots program.