United States of America, Alabama, Jefferson County, Birmingham
Jones Valley Urban Farm (Birmingham, Alabama)
In early 2006 the transformation of a vacant block in the inner-city of Birmingham, Alabama began. Jones Valley Urban Farm, a non-profit organization, developed this three acre block into a model demonstration city farm and community garden. Comprehensive soil testing and an appropriate soil amendment program were the first steps in the process followed by planting different organic crops. Placement of a structure to include office space, an outdoor classroom, community tool shed and deck with an energy conserving butterfly roof to preserve rainwater came months later. Volunteers and staff built thirty raised garden beds to be used by nearby residents to grow organic produce and flowers for their own use. Crops were planted and offered for sale on site, city restaurants were supplied with the organic produce and the farm participated in countywide farmers markets.
Educational programs were introduced in 2007. Classes were given for pre-school children, camps were organized for young teenagers and state-accredited science courses were given for high school students. Training sessions were sponsored that promoted the development of many additional community gardens in the area.
Jones Valley Urban Farm is located on leased property in the heart of a twelve block mixed use development composed of 560 apartments and 56 town homes. This project, initially called Hope VI, has transformed what was once a declining low income government housing project into a vibrant community with a mix of people from all walks of life.
Today the farm continues to build a network of support that promotes the availability and consumption of fresh, healthy locally grown produce.
Persons and entities associated with the garden include: State of Alabama-Department of Transportation (former owner, 1939), James Rushton One Foundation (former owner, 1960-2006), Jane Reed Ross of Land Ross Design (landscape architect, 2006), Dick Pigford of Architecture Works (architect, 2006).
The folder includes worksheets, site plans, photocopies of articles about the project, and other information.
This garden was featured in: "Jones Valley Urban Farm," Birmingham Business Journal, October 2, 2009; "The Renaissance of Birmingham," Garden & Guns magazine, June/July 2009, p. 87