Urban Farm

Good Food

Our farm grows a full assortment of vegetables using the best biological farming practices available. We grow all our food in compost enriched soil with natural/no-spray techniques (no synthetic pesticides, fertilizers or GMO seeds). We also carefully test our soil each season to make sure it is free of contaminants (we are lead free), and we amend the soil with minerals to make sure our produce is nutrient dense. We strive to work with and alongside the Creation, not against it. This makes for good, rich, healthy food for our customers.

We sell food largely through CSA farm shares. Shareholders pay an upfront fee for a 22 week share in the farm’s produce. We provide customers with a weekly newsletter orienting them to any new vegetables and offer creative recipes that utilize the week’s harvest. We offer Full shares ($475), Half Shares ($275), and 11 week Quarter Shares ($175). We also accept Bridge Cards for our farm shares, and Bridge Card customers get 50% off by using Double Up Food Bucks! We harvest and wash all of your produce except cherry tomatoes, peas and beans. Share holders are invited to U-pick these items when they are in season. We love to see families picking and laughing together as they discover the wonder of good food. For convenience we provide three “Get out of U-pick” passes for those busy weeks. Customers can also purchase a “No U-pick” pass for a small fee, and we will pick all of these items for you every time. Here is more information about what a share looks like. To sign up download our 2016 Share sign up.

We also run a weekly farm stand every Thursday from 4-6pm alongside the YMCA Veggie Van (June-October). The Veggie Van nicely compliments our fresh produce by offering fruits, breads, eggs and out of season vegetables. When you come to the farm you can leave with all you need to prepare healthy fresh meals for your family all week long.

Our farm is located on the eastern board of a 2 square mile “food desert.” We recognize that access to healthy, fresh, local and affordable food is essential to human flourishing. We accept Bridge Cards, Senior Fresh, and Double-up-Food Bucks at our stand (these may also be used for CSA share purchases too!).

In 2014 our produce was also featured in an exciting five course farm to table dinner at Graydon’s Crossing, just three blocks down the road, and our produce is often featured as their Meatless Monday special.

Good Work

New City Urban Farm was started in 2012 to build upon the success of our community garden program and middle school job skills program, Breaktime Bakery. Each summer we employ and mentor 10 high school students in a variety of job and life skills within a Christian framework of discipleship. Students learn all aspects of the hard work of organic vegetable growing. But our students do more than just pull weeds and pick beans.

In 2014 we saw our students brainstorm and execute a marketing plan for the farm. They learned valuable construction skills when we built a top notch farm stand and fence. Each week at our share pickups they learned how to greet customers warmly, paying attention to volume, grammar, tone and enthusiasm. They went on a college tour to Grand Valley State University where they learned about the variety of schooling options beyond high school, and where they were shown the ins and outs of applying for financial loans and scholarships. They went on two field trips to other farms and had fun at the Downtown YMCA. They designed weekly farm newsletters and wrote stories about kohlrabi and heirloom tomatoes. They learned how to resolve workplace conflict through meetings and respectful conversations. They visited the Downtown Market to learn about starting a small business. They participated in devotions where they could ask critical questions about life and God. They wrote individual life goal plans. They showed up to work each day bright and early at 7am. And they celebrated a season of accomplishment over a five course meal at Graydon’s Crossing with food grown entirely by them on our farm. In other words, they were busy working hard developing and gaining confidence in a wide spectrum of their God-given gifts.

If you are in high school and want to be a part of our team, check out our student job description. You can also apply online today! First year high school interns receive a $1000 stipend for completing our 11 week summer program (Tuesday-Thursday 18 hours a week). After completing the summer training program, we offer fall positions at $8.50 an hour. Make sure you download and fill out one of the reference forms. You can bring this with you when you are scheduled for an interview.