Weathering the Storm Together at our Community Garden

The unexpected snowstorm last month was a powerful reminder that nature doesn't always follow a schedule. While we are all eager for the first signs of spring, this late-season snow brings a familiar sense of uncertainty. In our work toward food justice, we know that these unpredictable shifts in weather make it harder to plan for the summer and can put a strain on our local food systems.

Even with the snow still on the ground, the Food Justice team has been anything but frozen. We have used this extended winter to strengthen our roots so we can better serve our community:

- We’ve spent the winter reorganizing and diving into business planning. By refining our "behind-the-scenes" work, we are making sure our program is efficient, resilient, and ready to maximize every resource we have.

- Our team attended several conferences this winter to sharpen our skills. We’ve been gathering new ideas on sustainable growth and equitable food access and distribution—knowledge we can't wait to share with all of you once the ground clears.

This unexpected snow reminds us that while we can’t control the weather, we can control how we prepare for it. We are standing ready to pivot from clearing snow to planting seeds the moment the ground thaws. With stronger business plans in place and fresh knowledge from our winter conferences, we are prepared to turn this uncertain start into a season of growth for the whole community.

We invite you to join the Rutgers Urban Gardening Series in Spanish, starting on March 5th via Zoom. It’s the perfect way to sharpen your skills while we wait for the snow to melt. For more information and to register, click here. And to our first food justice community meeting scheduled for Thursday, March 12th at 6:30 PM. Please call 856-575-5511 for additional details.

If you would like more information about CATA’s Food Justice Program and how to get involved in our community garden, please contact Kathia Ramírez, Co-Coordinator of the program, at kramirez@cata-farmworkers.org.