ALTGELD GARDENS, CHICAGO, March 5, 2024 – Bowen Harvest, a 500-square-foot hydroponic container farm, will open with a community event. It features a market, food trucks, and free produce distribution. Students from the Far South Side will launch a hydroponic farm this weekend, addressing years of food injustice in Altgeld Gardens.
The project involves over a dozen high school students from the By The Hand Club For Kids at Altgeld-Murray. These students will run Bowen Harvest year-round, growing pesticide-free lettuce and other fresh produce. In just six weeks, they produced 2,000 heads of lettuce. And set to be distributed at the farm’s grand opening this Saturday at 13015 S. Ellis Ave.
This Container Farm initiative arose from the need to fight food insecurity in Altgeld Gardens, where the closest grocery store is over three miles away. Without direct public transportation, families without cars struggle to access fresh food. By involving students in the solution, Bowen Harvest aims to change this.
Thanks to a $1 million grant from Kenilworth Union Church’s Gilbert and Marlene Bowen Christian Outreach Fund, the farm and nutrition program became a reality. Freight to Plate, a women-owned agriculture service, partnered with the nonprofit to bring Bowen Harvest to life. This partnership empowers students by enhancing their entrepreneurial, STEM, and reading skills.
The last grocery store in Altgeld Gardens, Rosebud Farm Stand, closed in 2018, leaving residents to advocate for more food access. Bowen Harvest, capable of producing over 1 ton of fresh produce each year, will help fill this gap. The hydroponic farm grows produce year-round, utilizing a water-based system that requires less water and electricity but generates significant yields.
Bowen Harvest offers more than fresh food. It serves as an inspiration for creative solutions to food insecurity. Community members hope it will spark partnerships and ideas to address the problem further.
For sophomore Shania Tickett, working on Bowen Harvest has been a therapeutic and rewarding experience. She has been part of the By The Hand Club For Kids since second grade and now takes pride in her work at the farm. Students like Shania help lead the charge in bringing fresh produce back to their community.
Bowen container farm will have ongoing harvests every six to 12 weeks, ensuring a steady supply of produce for the neighborhood. As Bowen Harvest thrives, it demonstrates what’s possible when youth and community come together to tackle pressing issues.