Common Roots-Woodside

 Common Roots-Woodside is a Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia 2019-2020 Community Grant recipient. It is a project of MetroWorks, located on the grounds of the Nova Scotia Hospital which serves mental health and addictions patients as well as the greater community.

The urban farm uses therapeutic horticulture as a way to promote physical, mental and environmental health. It offers skills training and educational workshops on the sustainable growth of vegetables. It increases access to healthy food for hospital patients, staff and the community. It also provides a supportive and welcoming space for gardening and socialization.

The urban farm has four main components:

• A community garden where hospital staff, patients and community members tend plots of food, flowers and herbs.

• A market garden dedicated to growing produce for sale at a weekly market and for donation to community and hospital food programs.

• Common gardens dedicated to educational and experimental gardens with samples for hungry passersby.

• Flower gardens dedicated to growing flowers for resale at the market stand and local flower shops. There are also brought into the hospital to spread joy and beauty!

The Common Roots-Woodside market typically runs Thursday afternoons June-October from 3:30 to 5:00pm by the Woodside Ferry Terminal. Visit Common Roots-Woodside on Facebook for details.