A Boston-based restaurant started a farm that also benefits at-risk youths
The location? A Boston Harbor island.
Boston-based restaurant b.good (their styling), which focuses on using locally-grown ingredients, just announced a new way they’re being good to their community: by operating an urban farm on an island in the Boston Harbor.
The fast-casual eatery serves up salads, burgers, and fries made from ingredients grown at farms across New England, but now, b.good will have its own farm on Long Island to grow produce for all 31 of its U.S. restaurants, as well as local community partners, according to a press release.
The farm is expected to yield more than 80,000 pounds of produce yearly, and 75 percent of that harvest will be donated to Camp Harbor View, a summer camp on the island for at-risk youth. Campgoers can learn about urban farming and where their food comes from through courses at b.good’s farm.
“Over the last 12 years at b.good, we’ve learned that real food has the power to positively transform communities. And we’ve learned that we want to be a company that helps inspire that change in the communities we serve,” said Jon Olinto, b.good co-founder and chief marketing officer, in the release. “This farm is the opportunity to combine our core values of real food, community participation, and philanthropy. We’re creating a farm to grow our own produce, work alongside our customers and team members, and give back to the community that supported us all these years.”
The project will be named “Hannah Farm,” and will feature zucchini, green beans, yellow wax beans, kale, romaine lettuce, bok choy, radishes, cilantro, cucumbers, and basil to start. The first harvests are expected in late July 2016. Some of these crops, like Anaheim chili peppers, will produce enough to serve as the sole produce source for all U.S. b.good locations.
The camp, which is operated by Connors Family Office, proposed the idea as a way to get campers involved in agriculture and healthy eating education.
“We’re thrilled to pilot this program that will bring the farm back to life and make it part of the Boston community once again,” said Monica Valdes Lupi, executive director of the Boston Public Health Commission, in the release. “This is another opportunity to bring fresh, healthy foods to Boston’s youth campers while they learn firsthand the value of locally grown produce.”
Anyone from the local community can also join the b.good team in developing and maintaining Hannah Farm by participating in service days in which they can plant and harvest the crops. Learn more about the farm at b.good’s website and in the video below.
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