ROCHESTER N.Y. (WROC) — This week is Urban Agriculture Week in Rochester, according to Mayor Malik Evans.

The Urban Ag Working Group is a collection of individuals and organizations that garden, farm, run community gardens, and support those activities in the city of Rochester.

The coordinator of the group, Marci Muller, says their focus is helping residents to learn the importance of a community garden for you and your neighbors.

“Growing food is one part of the gardening but the other part is community building and getting people outside and interacting with each other and doing physical activity and all those really good things,” says Muller.

Farm Manager Mike Kincaid says, in addition to providing food to the community, the organization provides skills to the youth.

“We work with young adults who are looking for employment and need support in that search so we try to do a lot of teaching here as well. Not just agricultural teaching but also general job training. We try to incorporate a lot of principles for efficiency and production that can be applied to a lot of job environments,” says Kincaid.

Jordan Conyer who’s been a month member says being a part of the organization is beneficial to yourself and your community.

“It brings something new to the table we don’t usually get to experience as often and the stuff that we learn here you can actually take back home and help your people. It brings new recipes and lifestyles or ways of living as a whole,” says Conyer.

On Saturday, May 6, the group will be holding a conference that will include a keynote speaker, panel discussions on environmental justice and equity, along with workshops for hands-on experience.

To learn more or to get involved you can visit the website Cornell Cooperative Extension | 2022 Spring Urban Agriculture Conference.