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USJ students help build a hydroponic garden in Hartford food desert
In a vacant lot along Enfield Street in Hartford, Connecticut, what was once unused space is taking on new purpose and new life. With shovels in hand and sleeves rolled up, University of Saint Joseph students helped transform the site into a hydroponic garden that will bring fresh food and new opportunities to the neighborhood.
Volunteering with Levo International, a nonprofit that develops simplified hydroponic systems to combat food insecurity, the students cleaned up debris, planted seeds, and built wooden framing, helping prepare the infrastructure that will soon support hundreds of plants.
The effort is part of the North Hartford Farming Initiative, which aims to revitalize long-unused lots. Once complete, the site will include several greenhouses and hundreds of hydroponic units capable of producing up to 50,000 pounds of fresh vegetables each year, while creating jobs for Hartford residents.
Beyond the physical transformation, the project addresses a persistent challenge in many urban communities: access to fresh, healthy food.
Too often, residents in inner city areas face challenges when looking for fresh produce, and on-ground hydroponics frameworks can make a positive impact in reducing these food deserts.
Kirsten Martin
“Too often, residents in inner city areas face challenges when looking for fresh produce, and on-ground hydroponics frameworks can make a positive impact in reducing these food deserts,” explained Professor of Biology Kirsten Martin, director of USJ’s Environmental Science Program. “Levo International has chosen to establish many of their hydroponic frames on abandoned or contaminated lots. By establishing frames on the ground, as opposed to disturbing the soils, these areas can become productive once again.”
Olivia Thaxton ’26 and Tatiyanah Zeigler ’26, members of USJ’s environmental stewardship program EnviroCorps, along with Pharmacy student Carly Pearson, Pharm.D. ’26, joined Martin on March 21 to volunteer at the Levo site. Throughout the morning, they constructed the frames that will support rows of PVC-based growing systems.
Experiences like this bring students, residents, organizations, and the public together while creating meaningful relationships and experiences. These projects create amazing opportunities for community members to get involved and create positive change.
Olivia Thaxton ’26
“Experiences like this bring students, residents, organizations, and the public together while creating meaningful relationships and experiences,” Thaxton said. “These projects create amazing opportunities for community members to get involved and create positive change.”