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Next Generation of Urban Farmers to be Trained in Hartford

The Knox Parks Foundation received grant funding to expand its inner-city farming program.

By Jane Caffrey
NBC
November 12, 2021

Excerpt:

More produce and healthy food in Hartford homes – that is what new grant funding aims to achieve. It will provide hundreds of thousands of dollars to the Knox Parks Foundation in Hartford to train the next generation of inner-city farmers.

When it comes to food, urban farmer Derrick Bedward likes it spicy! He attributes that to is Caribbean roots.

“Started from Jamaica, as a kid growing up around the house usually see these plants and the pumpkin blossom always attract me. And growing up, my father used to take us out in the field with three brothers,” Bedward said.

Today, he loves to fill the stomachs and feed the souls of West Indians living in Hartford.

“The farming I do is for the West Indian community because they love the scotch bonnet, the pumpkins, the scallions, and the thyme, and that’s what I grew for the farmers market,” Bedward said.

Bedward got a degree in urban farming from Capital Community College. At the Knox home base on Laurel Street in Harford, his office is open rain or shine.

Read the complete article here.