In Saint Paul, An Urban Farm Has Sprouted

An empty city lot in the Frogtown neighborhood of Saint Paul is being converted into an urban garden. The transformation is part of a nationwide effort to bring fresh foods to places where it may be hard to acquire.

The garden is sprouting up thanks to the Urban Farming organization. Urban Farming has planted 50 gardens in 20 cities across the nation. St. Paul was the last stop.

"It's amazing how much food you can grow in a small area," [founder of Urban Farming] Taja Sevelle said. "We're encouraging people to grow their own food at home and get back to the simple basics of growing your own food."

"We have a beautification aspect to it, environmental aspect to it, this is the perfect opportunity to add this proponent of edible gardens and vegetable gardens," Jill Henricksen said, Executive Director of Frogtown Community Development.

This project serves multiple purposes. As people tend the garden, a sense of community will grow along with the vegetables. Newbie gardeners will be able to pick up tips from avid green thumbs. And of course, the urban farm will produce healthy foods for both the gardeners and families in need. As food ripens, people can respectfully take what they need.