Homeless Till Green Farm For Shelter

BOSTON -- It seems like an unlikely spot for farming, but Boston Harbor's Long Island farm -- the city's only certified organic farm -- is producing another bumper crop.

VIDEO: Homeless Till Green Farm For Shelter

NewsCenter 5's David Brown reported that the 2 ½-acre farm produces 25,000 to 30,000 pounds of produce each year.

The farmers are homeless men and women growing food that will end up at the city's largest homeless shelter.

"What we're trying to do is help people become more self-sufficient -- help them earn their dignity back so that they can go on be able to pay rent, pay mortgage and end homelessness," said John Christian of Boston Health Homeless Services.

Since it started 12 years ago, the program has grown each year. Run by the nonprofit Friends of Boston's Homeless and the city, the produce feeds more than 850 homeless people the shelter serves every day, saving the city thousands in food costs.

"You are taking something from a seed to a kitchen that then feeds other people," said Mariann Bucina, of Friends of Boston's Homeless. "It's very rewarding. It's therapeutic, and it's also just really practical."

"It provides me with a chance to do something not only constructive, but something that kind of quiets the voices in my head," said Peter Rothschild, who works on the farm.

The participants learn all aspects of food production -- from soil prep to planting techniques, pest control and harvesting. They learn life lessons about the cycle of the seasons, patience in waiting and watching for the fields to take shape and pride in the produce they harvest.

About 20 percent of the produce make its way to farmers' markets, and some of it ends up at restaurants.