Food Justice Newsletter
Springfield College and NOFA/Mass partner with the community to prep and plant for the season
Photo credit: Damon Markiewicz | Communications Manager, Springfield College Office of Institutional Advancement
It’s time to get those plants in the ground! To mark the occasion, the Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement at Springfield College and the NOFA/Mass Food Access team came together on June 6th to host a prep and planting garden party for members of the community.
Folks joined forces to prepare and plant garden beds, and celebrate the start of summer with a little ice cream. Community favorites, like watermelon, cucumbers, and collards were planted alongside cultural staples, like callaloo, okra, tomatoes, eggplants, and aji dulce peppers.
A little history
The Community Engagement Center is located in the Old Hill Neighborhood of Mason Square in Springfield. It’s the base for Springfield College’s Community-Engaged Student Employment program, Homework Heroes, that offers tutoring in reading and math, and other academic support for local elementary, middle and high School students. It also serves as a meeting place for neighbors and community organizations, and hosts a modest community garden for students, staff and the community at large.
2025 marks the 5th year of the NOFA/Mass and CEC partnership. The NOFA/Mass Food Access team offers technical support and soil health education for the staff, students, and neighbors who steward this garden. The approximately ~1500 pounds of produce harvested each year feeds community members with plenty left over for the Mary Ann Coughlin Pride Pantry at Springfield College, a valuable resource for individuals in the area who face food insecurity.
Soil Health practices for urban gardens
Before seedlings could get tucked into their raised beds, many hands banded together to make light work of important garden bed preparation tasks. Since soils in urban areas have higher levels of heavy metals, NOFA/Mass’s strategy for increasing soil fertility has been to build up the soil by adding organic material with compost, promoting biological activity with fermented compost teas, and then protecting the soil with mulch.
Photo credit: Damon Markiewicz | Communications Manager, Springfield College Office of Institutional Advancement
Collins Compost has been donating compost to the site for the last 6 years and community members donated leaves and straw for mulching. Sister Anna Gilbert-Muhammad brought a fermented compost tea made from comfrey and grass clippings. Carlos, a community member that lives next door to the center, brought over cucumber plants that he wanted to share. “During the summer last year, I harvested many vegetables and shared them with other neighbors. This time I wanted to give back plants and help with the work to set up the garden beds.”
“This is what the center is for, bringing community members together. It is so exciting to see how the garden takes shape and the bonus of having the community benefit from the produce is wonderful.” remarked Charlene Elvers, Executive Director of the Center for Service and Leadership.
Meet the Tapley Youth / Featured: Ryan Santiago
Get to know our youth leaders and hear their thoughts about organic growing, food justice and hopes for the future.
“This is what the center is for, bringing community members together. It is so exciting to see how the garden takes shape and the bonus of having the community benefit from the produce is wonderful.” remarked Charlene Elvers, Executive Director of the Center for Service and Leadership.
Photo Credit: Sister Anna Gilbert-Muhammad
Ryan has been with the Youth Agricultural Scientist Program at Tapley Garden for 3 years. He is currently studying Computer Science at Springfield Technical Community College.
Sister Anna: This is your 4th year with the agricultural program. What have been your best memories from working with the garden?
Ryan: I have enjoyed working with the other youth and meeting new people. Tasting and learning about new food has also been fun. We get the CSA delivered from Just Roots and it is nice to see that the Tapley Garden grows much of the same things that my family sees in what we get from Just Roots.
Sister Anna: If you were to look into the future, in terms of food security, what is one thing that you would want to see?
Ryan: It would be good to see everyone grow things together. Whether as a family or as neighbors. I think everyone having some sort of garden would be nice.🌿
