Earth Day was the perfect day for the long-awaited reopening of OASIS on Ballou Farm. Originally opened in 2015, Ballou Farm is a unique agriculture project that produces fresh produce for the community on a 20,000 square foot lot in the Woodrow Mountain neighborhood of Dorchester. CSNDC temporarily shut the farm after the 2022 growing season to implement some much-needed upgrades through funding from the Community Preservation Fund. The improvements included:
- Expanding the farm’s growing area by adding step-up retaining walls to the steep incline at the back third of the farm, making approximately 30% more of the farm’s surface area suitable for planting.
- Creating a multipurpose plaza with permeable pavers that can double as a space for community events and gatherings
- Adding seating and shaded areas
- Addressing drainage issues
Apolo Catala, the farm’s manager, was thrilled to welcome community members and representatives of partner organizations to the reopening event on April 22nd.
“It’s been a long time waiting, but it’s already worth it,” said Catala to the group assembled to help celebrate the moment. “It takes a village and we have had an awesome team.”
Key partners in the renovation and expansion include the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR); Grow Boston, the City of Boston’s Office of Urban Agriculture; Hydro-Quebec US; and the Urban Farming Institute.
“It’s incredible to see the transformation,” said MDAR Commissioner Ashley Randle.
“Seeing this built out, it’s clearly a farm that’s here to stay, which is really exciting.”
“I am so proud of the leadership here,” said Rose Arruda, the Urban Agriculture, Food Venture, and Food Trust Program Coordinator at MDAR, standing atop the new retaining walls. “It took a while, but you knocked it out of the park. The vision and the execution have been amazing.”
“The city is happy to support this incredible project and really important resource for the community,” added Shani Fletcher, Director of GrowBoston. “Congratulations to everyone.”
CSNDC estimates that the expanded planting surface made possible by the new retaining walls will increase the farm’s annual production by approximately 2,000 pounds, bringing total annual production to roughly 10,000 pounds of produce per year.
In addition to the expanded growing area, the renovations also focused on creating space where the community can gather and engage.
“We’re trying to strike a balance between this as a working farm and as a place for the community to enjoy,” said Meredith Geraghty, CSNDC’s Vice President of Base-Building Strategy, who championed the project. “There will be some picnic tables and benches, and open space for the community. We hear from our volunteers that this is a therapeutic place to be, and we want to honor that.”
“One of the things urban farms do well is to bring people together,” said Catala. “Beyond the bricks and mortar, which are obviously important, Ballou Farm is driven by a commitment to promoting individual, community and environmental health. Because who we grow for matters as much as how we grow.”
With these renovations now complete, the farm is poised to serve as vital source of community space, healthy food, and learning for years to come.
