8. La Finca Del Sur/South Bronx Farmers

Aboard the Metro North Train, as you cross Manhattan and enter the Bronx, amidst the myriad of building you may notice a sliver of what hold the semblance of a farmland. This pocket of farm, encroached between Metro-North Railroad tracks and a congested highway teeming with cars, is called La Finca Del Sur/South Bronx—an urban farm coop that’s operated by women of color from the Bronx. These community members have transformed the three acres of land into an urban farm, along with a farmer’s market, children’s educational programs, and even a performance space.

The farm was founded in the late winter of 2009 by a group of community members and organizations who envisioned the decrepit, vacant three acres of land to be something more. As they write, they are committed to “building healthy neighborhoods through economic empowerment, increased nutritional awareness, training and education, and advocating for social and political equality and food justice in low-income communities.”

The farm grows a diverse array of fruits and vegetables, thus reflecting the various ethnic backgrounds of the volunteers who work there. Some of the produce include: mint, Russian sage, English thyme, red lettuce, and more. La Finca Del Sur exemplifies the impact of urban farming as a means of unifying a community and providing numerous means of education, and recreational activities for the families and children of the neighborhood.