Fighting food deserts: Urban farming a solution for lack of fresh food
USDA: 12% of Americans don’t have enough access to fresh food
By Vic Micolucci
News 4 Jax
June 30, 2022
Excerpt:
JACKSONVILLE, Fla: “I am the owner of the Herban Bee and I am also the beekeeper here at White Harvest Farms,” she said, while giving a tour of the farmland which is situated in the underserved Northwest Jacksonville neighborhood called Moncrief. “Oh, and I run the community garden.”
Bees, she says, are critical for farms for cross-pollination. She uses their honey for infused treats which she sells around town.
Farm manager Mallory Schott said White Harvest Farms is a slice of good in the fight against a bad problem.
“We are here to eradicate food desert,” she said. “We’re here to increase access to fresh fruits and vegetables, teach people about growing.
“You won’t see grocery stores but what you will see are liquor stores, no shortage of those,” said Mika Hardison-Carr, a Jacksonville resident who’s taking on food deserts. “There’s no shortage of convenience stores. No shortage of Dollar Generals, Family Dollars — none of which support or sell fresh produce.”
A food desert is an area where it’s difficult to buy affordable or good-quality fresh food. Forty million Americans live in this atmosphere.
