STAY TUNED!
Community-wide gathering to celebrate UFI's purchase of Fowler Clark Epstein Farm on June 13th, 2024. More details to come.
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) at the Urban Farming Institute
Community-supported agriculture (CSA) is a special relationship between farmers and consumers. Under the CSA model, subscribers pay in advance for a weekly share of fresh produce. This reduces the risk the local farmer takes to plant, tend, and harvest future fresh produce.
Thank you for participating in our Urban Farming Symposium!
We had a wonderful time networking with you all! We would also like to extend a huge thank you to our sponsors. We are so grateful for your commitment to farming equity.
We are collecting feedback to ensure successful symposiums in the future. Please fill out the form linked below.
Thank you for all you do to support urban farming!
UFI is excited to partner with Fairmount Indigo CDC Collaborative for their Earth Day Celebration!
You will leave the event with a better understanding of some resources and opportunities available to you in the communities of Boston, and hear of ways to get involved. There will also be food, activities for children, raffles and trivia, and more. We'll see you there!
Urban Farming Institute Purchases Historical Fowler Clark Epstein Farm
We are proud to announce that we, the Urban Farming Institute (UFI), have purchased the 1786 Fowler Clark Epstein Farm at 487 Norfolk Ave in Mattapan - a property redeveloped by Historic Boston Inc. (HBI) for UFI in 2018. The restored property serves as headquarters and the now-permanent home for UFI’s mission of building healthy communities through the development of urban farms and food production.
“The farm is home to us and has become a special center for our farmers and our neighbors,” said President and CEO of UFI, Pat Spence. “Fresh food is vital to a healthy community and from this place we share our bounty and teach the principles of cultivation and growth.” The purchase was finalized on January 12, 2024 for the sum of $1.4 million. The property includes an educational center, a greenhouse, office space, a farm stand, classrooms, and a teaching kitchen. UFI actively grows a wide variety of food on the site, such as, okra, collard greens, tomatoes, kale, and callaloo; all items in high demand in our community.
We want to extend our deepest gratitude to our partners, our funders, and to you, our UFI family. As Pat said, herself, "the future of this historic place is bright because so many people gave selflessly to do more than we’d have been able to do by ourselves.” We couldn't do this without your continued love, support and generosity.
Empowering Communities Through Urban Farming
We envision a city where diverse food cultures flourish, and everyone can grow and share food in their own neighborhoods. Join us as we cultivate a deep and distributed farming network, ensuring local access to fresh, sustainable produce for our communities.
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Thank you Brother Mel - A Green Legacy
The Urban Farming Institute of Boston (UFI) would like to thank Former State Representative Melvin H. King for his love, his investment, and his many efforts as one of our 2013 founding board members. Like many other community-based organizations UFI grew from an earlier concept that Brother Mel believed in and nurtured. He gave UFI advice that is embedded in its DNA-- from the simple “You don’t call it a Board Retreat if you want to go places—Call it a Board Advance” to the deeply-felt, “Find ways to collaborate, never forget that we’re doing this work to help grow food and feed people”.
He came to endless board meetings and every UFI conference sharing his wisdom and his great hugs. He helped UFI connect with people throughout the city who became strong allies in reframing urban farming and keeping land locally stewarded in our BIPOC communities. He gave pointers about drafting legislation and public policy to make certain it would benefit those who really needed advocates. He was proud of UFI as it became successful, and he was clear that it should strive for service and excellence. Dear Brother Mel, we are so appreciative of your time and investment. UFI sends its sympathy to your family, and we thank them for all the hours they lent you to the community. UFI, like other organizations, certainly needed your steady hand. May you rest with the ancestors.
Upcoming Events
“We are empowering our community and helping feed it at the same time.”
