Located on the South Side of Syracuse at 150 Ford Ave, The Brady Farm grows a variety of delicious, fresh produce. Jessi Lyons, co-founder of Syracuse Grows, runs the urban farm with her team who just this season has grown and harvested an assortment of over 36 herbs and vegetables according to The Post-Standard.
Cheri Abrams, a graduate student in Falk College’s food studies program, is among the members of The Brady Farm team. After completing her practicum at The Brady Farm, Abrams was then hired as a part-time worker. “Since I started in May, I’ve done a bit of everything,” Abrams says, from irrigation and planting to harvesting and selling produce, even conducting research and attending zone hearings. “I have also learned a great deal about what it takes to start an urban farm, from the road blocks to acquiring a use variance to farm in a city, to how important community engagement is and soil and pest management.”
Cheri explains that her experiences at the farm have been quite diverse. Although she truly enjoys each aspect of her work, there is one thing that has been especially gratifying: connecting with other people. “What stands out the most for me is the many conversations I’ve had with people, whom I’ve never met before, about food, family history, farming practices and recipes,” she says. “It amazes me how conversations about food have allowed me to connect with others and my hope is that we at Brady Farm can continue to create new food narratives of acceptance and inclusion.”