Jones Valley Teaching Farm

Jones Valley Teaching Farm (formerly Jones Valley Urban Farm) is non-profit educational farming site at 701 25th Street North. The farm raises organic crops for local markets and restaurants while also hosts educational programs for public school children. The farm's operations are centered downtown, next to the Park Place housing development, but it also uses other urban lots used to grow organic products.

Jones Valley Farm was founded in 2001 by Edwin Marty and Allison Page. It began as an experiment with the Birmingham YWCA on a lot on 10th Avenue South to provide job training and to explore the viability of organic farming on vacant urban lots. In their first summer, the program was selling products at the Dr Pepper Farmer's Market and to local restaurants.

The East Avondale Community Garden is a collaborative project between the East Avondale Neighborhood Association, Youth Serve, and JVUF. The neighborhood uses part of the garden to grow their own produce, First Serve uses part of the garden to run their education programs, and JVUF uses another section for the production of organic produce and flowers for sale.

In 2003, Jones Valley Farm created an educational program for Alabama School of Fine Arts students. The program has expanded, and offers science credits to students who work in the school's garden.

The farm's operations were moved to the Park Place site at 25th Street and 7th Avenue North in 2006. The 3.5 acre city block, called The Gardens of Park Place, was transformed into a model demonstration urban farm and community garden with assistance from the James Rushton One Foundation and designed by landscape architect Jane Reed Ross, with Land Ross Design. The Park Place site is also used for functions and meetings, and will be the site of Marty's 2009 wedding to Andrea Buchanan.

In 2009 Jones Valley Urban Farm was named to a list of the top 10 urban farms in America by Natural Home magazine. In 2012 it adopted its present name and mission.

In 2016, Jones Valley Teaching Farm began construction of a "Center for Food Education" at their downtown location, replacing a smaller storage building.

References

• Bruce, Taylor (May 2006) "Edwin Marty: Urban Farmer." Portico
• Guster, Chanda Temple (December 11, 2008) "Personal assistance companies come to rescue for small businesses." The Birmingham News
• Star, Letitia L. (March/April 2009) "America's Top 10 Urban Farms" Natural Home
• Natta, André (May 14, 2012) "New name. Still teaching. Still growing. The Terminal

External links

• Jones Valley Teaching Farm website
• Jones Valley Teaching Farm on Facebook