Cook Fresh, Cook Local
Visually explore Urban Roots' farm-to-table food system.
Welcome! Explore our story map , photos , and satellite map . Get Directions here. If you're curious about our Conservation program's story, click here .
Urban Roots' Market Garden program stewards over 1.5 acres of tillable land on 4.5 acres of green space, all within 1.5 miles of our East Side office and kitchen . This food is sold at farmers markets, donated, and used by the Cook Fresh program.
During our summer and year round programming, our youth trade knowledge about how to grow, cook, and eat a variety of foods.
Use this storymap to explore the urban farm sites where we grow and harvest, and learn about the food we make from them.
Story Map
Urban Roots Office and Kitchen
Urban Roots Office and Kitchen. Click to expand.
Our kitchen is where the magic happens! Each week of summer programming, our youth prepare creative and nutritious recipes with hundreds of pounds of fresh produce.
The Edge
The Edge. Click to expand.
In our farm to table system, the Edge serves as equipment and vehicle storage, and is where plant starts are kept and watered before they are planted.
Rivoli Bluffs
Rivoli Bluffs . Click to expand.
As Urban Roots' largest site, Rivoli has a deep heritage. Read about it here, or see photo transformations here.
Dellwood Gardens
Dellwood Gardens. Click to expand.
Our youth harvesting peppers in 2023! You can kale and tomatoes in the background.
Swede Hollow Cafe
Swede Hollow Cafe. Click to expand.
This is Market Garden's smallest farm site. is just a stone's throw from our Conservation program's work in Swede Hollow Park! Lots of herbs grow here, and the site is small but mighty!
Phoenix Market
Phoenix Market. Click to expand.
The beautiful mural at this site originated with our 2016 Youth Council in partnership with Goodspace Murals. The market itself was rebuilt with extensive renovations following a fatal explosion in 1993.
Pocket Park
Pocket Park. Click to expand.
This property is managed by our Conservation program and Cook Fresh Program. It is a miniature community food forest, growing herbs, strawberries, plums and more!
First Covenant
First Covenant. Click to expand.
Do you know the difference between Dino Kale and Curly Kale? We grow both varieties here, along with tomatoes, broccoli, romanesco, onions and more!
Grow-It Center
Grow-It Center. Click to expand.
About the Grow-It Center
Satellite Map
This satellite map shows all of our farm locations within 1.5 miles of walking distance from our office/kitchen!
Click on the icons to get directions to our sites!
Click in and take a look around!
Rivoli Transformed
Move the slider to see the Railroad Island neighborhood and Rivoli Bluffs in 1940 and 2023, from smog filled dumpsite to neighborhood food source and beautiful vista!
Rivoli Bluffs in 1940 (left), when the site was used to dispose of street sweeper and railroad waste. Rivoli today (right). Images from MHAPO/UMN and Google Earth
Springtime on the Bluff
Move the slider to freeze and thaw the ground, regrow the leaves, and compare Rivoli's beauty in the winter to its beauty in the spring! On the second slider, compare spring and summer.
Does anything survive the winter? Absolutely! Rivoli in January 2023 and May 2023
Summer Salad Days
Between the Spring and Summer we have a lot of growth, observe our Community Garden plots on the left.
Colorful Cauliflower
Clementine cauliflower from Rivoli, awaiting washing at the edge (left). The same cauliflower, ready for chopping in the kitchen (Right)
