A warm breeze, the sweetness of freshly extracted honey, and poetry floated through the Peace Garden at First Church in Roxbury on the evening of Sept. 11.

Neighbors gathered to uncork honey frames, sample local food, and listen to poems about identity and community. The Urban Agriculture Fair Launch Party was not just a celebration — it was a promise that the harvest would belong to the neighborhoods that made it possible.

The event, led by Michelle Green Thumbz, also known as Chef Michelle, with support from The Trustees, GrowBoston, and local partners, is part of a growing effort to build food sovereignty in Boston’s underserved neighborhoods. Programs like GrowBoston’s Raised Bed Program have already installed 390 raised beds for low-income Boston residents as of May 2025. The Trustees manage 56 community gardens across eight neighborhoods, encompassing a total of 15 acres of green space. Through these gardens, fresh food, education and community ties are growing together to provide neighbors with access to healthy produce grown by their own community.

Building a local food system

The launch party’s goal stretched beyond entertainment. It highlighted a movement to make healthy, fresh food accessible to underserved Boston communities by building a strong local food system — one where food grown in neighborhoods like Roxbury and Dorchester stays in those neighborhoods.

“The Urban Agriculture Fair is about nourishing both the land and the spirit,” Chef Michelle said. “We’re excited to partner with the Unitarian Universalist Urban Ministry to host this unique evening where people can taste the harvest, hear inspiring voices and celebrate the beauty of community.”

From hives to neighbors’ tables

Annabelle Rubia, the Boston region engagement manager for The Trustees, said the honey extracted at the launch party came from Thornton Farm, an urban farm run by Haley House. Rubia, who is also a beekeeper, said the honey will be bottled and distributed through free community-supported agriculture (CSA) boxes to local families in need.

“All the produce and the honey that’s grown [at Thornton Farm] is donated or given out for free to local community members in need,” Rubia said. “The honey we’re harvesting today will go into little jars that will go out with the free CSA distribution. It’s truly Roxbury honey.”

Attendees took turns uncapping honeycomb frames and spinning them in a metal centrifuge as the scent of warm beeswax filled the air. Rubia said hands-on events like this help people see how much care goes into local food production, and why it’s worth protecting.

Youth roots, elder ties

For Noradin Shek, the night was personal. Shek is the Urban Agricultural Ambassador for Roxbury and once worked as a youth farmer with Haley House.

As a teen, he helped prepare and deliver weekly produce bags to about 50 elders in Roxbury. The work began during the pandemic, when many older residents were hesitant to go to supermarkets.

“It meant a lot to be able to grow and sustain food from the community, by the community, that went to feed our elders,” Shek said. “It’s rare now to see young people and elders engaging meaningfully like that, but those cross-generational connections are exactly what make this work powerful.”

Shek now trains residents who received raised garden beds through the city. He said many people initially struggled to maintain their gardens because they lacked guidance. His role is to provide them with the tools and confidence to succeed, from selecting seeds to solving pest problems.

“This work shows kids like me that we can be part of the food system — that farming isn’t just for somewhere else,” he said.

Poetry, peace and pride

The night also showcased poetry from local voices, including Brynna Boyd and Kristine Frazier, who grew up nearby. Boyd, a creative writing teacher and slam poet, performed a piece about growing up Black in the South.

Frazier returned to public performance after a seven-year hiatus to share a poem about embracing one’s heritage and staying true to oneself, even when life feels overwhelming.

Their words carried across the Peace Garden at the Unitarian Universalist Urban Ministry, as beeswax-scented air drifted around them and the Boston skyline glowed in the distance.

Reverend Margaret Earl, executive director and senior minister at the ministry, said the church was honored to host the event.

“We built the Peace Garden to serve the community and welcome the community,” Earl said. “We would love to see people out here drinking coffee, reading a book, doing some artwork, it’s open to them.”

Looking ahead

The full Urban Agriculture Fair will take place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sept. 20 at Roxbury Heritage State Park. The free event will feature gardening workshops, children’s activities, live music, cider-making demonstrations and produce competitions.

For Chef Michelle, it’s all part of building a more self-sustaining food network in the city.

“It’s about making sure people have access to fresh, local food,” she said. “And it’s about celebrating the community that makes it all possible.”