Our Mission
Our mission is to promote healthy lifestyles and landscapes through hands-on education about growing and eating healthy food.
Our Vision
Our vision is of healthy people, connected to their food, each other, and the natural environment.
Common Roots Urban Farms
Common Roots BiHi
Common Roots Urban Farm was established in 2012 as interim land use on hospital land in downtown Halifax. On this 2 acre site we grew in 195 community plots, common areas open to the public, and a market garden that produced vegetables and flowers for donation and sale. In 2015 we expanded to the Nova Scotia hospital site in Dartmouth where we have established 80 community plots, common areas and a market garden. In 2019 Common Roots first location had to move to make space for the hospital expansion. After a long search we landed at BiHi Park at the bottom of Bayers Road where we began to grow in the summer of 2019.
Common Roots Woodside
Common Roots-Woodside is an urban farm situated on the grounds of the Nova Scotia Hospital, which serves mental health and addictions patients. We use gardening as a way to promote physical, mental and environmental health. We offer skills training and educational workshops on growing vegetables; make healthy food more accessible to hospital clients, staff and the surrounding community; do gardening programming with clients at the hospital; and create a space for growing food and flowers that’s supportive and welcoming.
Common Roots Urban Farm is a project of:
Original Common Roots Urban Farm
Core Team
Jayme Melrose
Jayme Melrose was raised feral in the boreal forest of northern BC, by European parents who firmly believed in self-sufficiency, especially in regards to food. She studied ecological horticulture and permaculture at Linnaea Farm School on Cortes Island, BC., followed with a Bachelor of Community Design from Dalhousie. From 2011-2018 she was the Project Coordinator at Common Roots Urban Farm, Halifax NS.
Sara Burgess
Coordinator, Common Roots Urban Farm BiHi Park
Sara has a background in contemporary dance, environmental studies and organic farming. She began working with Common Roots Urban Farm in 2013 as ‘Farmer’ on the first site at Bell Rd & Robie St, developed the farm’s Deep Roots Program and now coordinates the new BiHi site.
Nicola Parker
Communications & Outreach
One of my fondest memory of childhood was raiding the sweet peas from our backyard garden. I had forgotten how awesome it was to grow and to eat my own food until I visited Halifax’s Urban Farm a few years ago. I’m now an avid kale gardener, and the lucky one who gets to promote the Farm and share its wealth of stories with the public. Wanna get your hands dirty and plant some seeds?
Slide Show of Our Amazing Past Staff, Advisors, Volunteers
