A West Side urban market garden is on the hunt for the most nutritious soil it can find—$5,000 worth, to be exact.
WestSide Tilth is about halfway to its fundraising goal on
IndieGoGo. The farm, which launched in 2015 on Normal Street in Buffalo's Front Park neighborhood, is run by partners Carrie Nader and Alex Wadsworth. The pair launched the enterprise in an effort to "inspire more people to get involved with sustainable agricultural practices," according to
Buffalo Rising.
Why such an effort to procure soil?
"We grow exclusively in imported soil separated from the city soil with a geotextile barrier," Nader tells
UpStart NY. "We believe good food starts with good soil."
WestSide Tilth is dedicated to making their produce serves the community where it is grown. The median income in Front Park is $23,700 per year, with 44.5 percent of the population receiving food assistance, according to the American Community Survey.
"We accept WIC and SNAP benefits at our markets to be sure our food is accessible to everyone," adds Nader.
Find out more about the campaign
here.