Providing a focal point for community health and wellness and a training ground for life and work skills
A place of community concern
Poughkeepsie has suffered from decades of disinvestment and discriminatory housing practices such as redlining — denying services (typically financial) to residents of certain areas based on who they are or where they come from. The neighborhood surrounding Pershing Avenue Park was historically labeled as a “red” and “undesirable” area by the Home Owners’ Loan Corporation. This prevented families from securing loans and building wealth, and escalated poor housing conditions, inadequate infrastructure, and economic instability. Ask Northside residents about a neglected lot that sat behind the park for years and many will tell you it was secluded and poorly lit, raising safety concerns.
A neighborhood farm and rejuvenated park
Joint efforts by Scenic Hudson, the City of Poughkeepsie, community members, and local stakeholders have transformed this quarter-acre site into Pershing Community Farm. The project responded to needs voiced by residents to support healthy food access and outdoor opportunities for children and families, and provide quality education programs for people of all ages. In spring 2021, local residents began growing their own produce in the community garden. The following year, operations began at an educational farm that supplies fresh fruits and vegetables to neighborhood families.
At the farm, Poughkeepsie residents can learn life and work skills through hands-on experiences in farming and gardening, health and nutrition, and entrepreneurship and leadership. The City of Poughkeepsie, Scenic Hudson, and the nonprofit New City Parks made improvements to the adjacent Pershing Avenue Park, including rebuilding and replacing the existing basketball court and playground, and adding native plantings, benches, picnic tables, play equipment, solar lighting, a walking path, and a meadow.
A focal point for health and wellness
Pershing Community Farm strives to be a hub for community health and family wellness, a training ground for entrepreneurship, and a welcoming place for joyful celebrations. Just a five-minute walk from 3,800 households, it can also play a critical role in reducing food insecurity, hunger, and childhood obesity. The improved Pershing Avenue Park offers opportunities for active recreation and more inviting spaces for relaxation and for family and neighborhood gatherings. Steps away from the park and farm, The Art Effect will continue engaging young people in visual arts and media, building on years of partnership with Scenic Hudson that has highlighted how arts and environmental stewardship can go hand in hand.
FAQs (frequently asked questions)
Who owns Pershing Community Farm?
The City of Poughkeepsie owns the land. In 2021, the Common Council approved a five-year lease agreement with Scenic Hudson to create and operate the farm. Currently, Scenic Hudson and the Poughkeepsie Farm Project are co-managing the farm under a new three-year joint lease.
Who else is partnering in the project?
Along with Scenic Hudson, the Poughkeepsie Farm Project, and the City of Poughkeepsie, partners have included many Northside residents, The Art Effect, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Dutchess Outreach, Ecological Citizen’s Project, Franklin D. Roosevelt Hyde Park Foundation, Glynwood Center for Regional Food and Farming, Mental Health America of Dutchess County, New City Parks, PARKnership, Poughkeepsie Alliance, Titusville Farm, and the YouthBuild AmeriCorps Program of Nubian Directions II.
What amenities does it include?
In addition to raised beds, running water, and a perimeter fence, the farm features accessible paths, a greenhouse, a toolshed, picnic tables, and benches.
How will food from the educational farm be distributed?
There is a free farm stand at Pershing on Tuesdays from 5 to 6 p.m. from June through October.
Who will run the farm?
Urban Farmer Carley Franklin-Hughes is managing the farm operations.
What else is going on in the neighborhood?
Pershing Community Farm is part of a larger initiative to create a corridor of park spaces connecting the neighborhood along Pershing Avenue. It is being spearheaded by the PARKnership — a group of residents and local organizations, including Scenic Hudson, that collaborate on projects to engage young people and support the Northside.