Our Residents

The traveling organic farm truck is back, and residents and employees at four Springfield Housing Authority developments are among the happy beneficiaries.

The truck, loaded with fresh tomatoes, lettuce, kale, scallions, herbs and strawberries, began making its rounds on June 26, and will continue through late September, bringing fresh and all-natural produce to areas where such luscious treats can be hard to come by. The truck makes stops in the city on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.

At Saab Court, where the Enterprise Farm truck stops on Thursdays from 3 to 4 p.m., SHA residents and employees lined up to check out the goods, and buy.

“I’m very happy to have them back,” said Estelle Miller, who has lived at Saab Court the past 12 years.

Residents and employees check out the fresh produce at Saab Court.

Her bags filled to the brim with strawberries, peas, tomatoes, lettuce and lavender, Miller had a smile on her face and plans growing in her mind.

“I’m having a salad tonight with dinner,” she said. “I love this because everything is so fresh.”

Fellow resident George Roderick, a 14-year Saab Court resident, said he too was happy to see the Enterprise truck parked at the Saab Court circle, its folding farm stand table piled high with fresh greens and reds.

“We come here every time we see the farm stand,” Roderick said. “Everything is fresh and delicious, and the people are so nice to deal with.”

The traveling farm stand is brought weekly to 12 city locations courtesy of a collaboration known as the ‘Live Well Springfield Movement.’ Participants include the SHA, the Springfield Department of Elder Affairs, Partners for a Healthier Community, Enterprise Farm, Live Well Springfield, Common Capital and Health New England.

Of the 12 stops, four are at or across the street from SHA properties – Gentile Apartments, Robinson Gardens Apartments, Riverview Apartments and Saab Court.

Laura Hurley of Partners for a Healthier Community said the annual program is intended to bring wholesome, fresh produce to areas that have little access to such bounty without access to transportation and long rides.

“Our goal is to increase access to organic garden produce to neighborhoods that have a variety of obstacles to fresh food,” Hurley said.

Saab Court residents George Roderick and Estelle Miller are happy with their purchases.

Jack Hawkins of Enterprise Farm in Whately said the traveling produce stand is becoming something of a tradition in Springfield, and it’s proven popular as it returns for another season.

“It started out as a bit of a lark, but we quickly saw that we were helping a lot of people, and they’re very grateful for it, said Hawkins, who noted that the prices are very reasonable, and the stand accepts cash in addition to credit and debit cards, SNAP cards and food stamps, who get their produce at half price.

SHA Executive Department Manager Isabel Serrazina said she’s happy to see the operation back for the summer. She works at Saab Court and has already begun to shop at the traveling farm stand.

“I’ll definitely be taking advantage of it,” Serrazina said. “I love fresh fruits and vegetables.”

The schedule of the weekly runs is as follows:

Wednesdays

9:30-10:30 a.m., Gentile Apartments, 85 Williams St. (SHA)

11 a.m.-noon, Pine Point Senior Center, 335 Berkshire Ave. (SHA)

12:30-1:30 p.m., Greenleaf Senior Center, 1187½ Parker St.

2:30-3:30 p.m., Independence House, 1475 Roosevelt Ave.

4-5 p.m., Baystate Health High Street Health Center, 140 High St.

Thursdays

9-10 a.m., North End Fitness Center, 310 Plainfield St. (SHA)

10:30-11:30 a.m., Linden Towers, 310 Stafford St.

Noon-2 p.m., City Hall, 36 Court St.

3-4 p.m., Saab Court, 25 Saab Court (SHA)

4:30-5:30 p.m., YMCA, 235 Chestnut St.

Fridays

11 a.m.-2 p.m., Market Share/Open Market, Center for Human Development, 332 Birnie Ave.

3:30-4:30 p.m., Colonial Estates Community Room, 1 Beacon Circle

Jack Hawkins of Enterprise Farm stands to the left of the traveling farm stand at Saab Court.