The City Green Farm at South Branch Preserve: Sustainable Agriculture in New Jersey's Highlands
- City Green
- Aug 8
- 3 min read
Clifton, NJ: The New Jersey Highlands Council recently renewed its support of the City Green Farm at South Branch Preserve Farm in Mount Olive Township with an additional award of $90,000 for the 2025 farm season. The Highlands Council Sustainable Agriculture grant program supports organizations working to protect the agricultural land and watershed in the Highlands region. City Green was initially awarded $90,000 through the program in 2023 and based on progress in the 2024 season the grant was renewed for 2025.
“Agriculture in the Highlands is not only a defining characteristic of the region, but it’s also an essential economic driver and a vital component of climate resiliency for the entire state,” said Highlands Council Executive Director Ben Spinelli. “The New Jersey Highlands has the ability to deliver a wide range of agricultural products within a two-hour drive of more than 20 million people. This will become increasingly important as a changing climate makes growing food crops difficult or impossible in places like California’s Central Valley or Florida. This is why the mission of organizations like City Green are so important.”
Funding from the Highlands Council directly contributes to the City Green Farm at South Branch Preserve, an 8-acre vegetable and fruit farm located in the Highlands region. This land is farmed in partnership with the Land Conservancy of New Jersey that has conserved over 200 acres called The South Branch Preserve. The City Green Farm at South Branch Preserve implements both organic and regenerative farm practices primarily focused on soil health and increasing organic soil matter, allowing it to act as both an active land conservation method and a productive vegetable operation.
Since 2024, Highlands Council funding has contributed to a number of projects and improvements on the farm. These include supporting the cover cropping strategy at the farm; supporting soil building with mulching and composting materials; funding the purchase of new tractor implements; and funding seed purchases for the farm season. City Green has also directed Highlands Council funding towards the recent installation of 4 150’ hedgerows consisting of 12 varieties of native shrubs and 20 varieties of native perennials. These hedgerows serve as a wind break and erosion control between the agricultural fields while also providing habitat for native pollinator species.
On average, City Green harvests over 60,000 pounds of produce annually at the City Green Farm at South Branch Preserve. This food is sold at farm stands and mobile markets throughout Passaic County and Essex County. “City Green is so grateful for the support of The Highlands Council, that helps City Green’s food access work connect food grown in New Jersey’s rural Highlands to urban communities. With support from the Highlands Council, City Green will continue to deepen its work preserving the land it stewards in the Highlands and cultivating food for communities across northern New Jersey,” said Jennifer Papa, City Green’s Founder and Executive Director.
More information about City Green’s programs, events, and impact can be found at their website at CityGreenOnline.org. City Green also operates the statewide SNAP Incentive Program Good Food Bucks. Good Food Bucks provides discounts on fresh produce to customers at farmers markets, CSA, and other fresh food retailers in New Jersey for customers who purchase vegetables with SNAP.
Left to right: A full summer farm field; City Green staff and volunteers work on planting autumn produce; the farm team prepares for the installation of new hedgerows
City Green is a 501(c)3 urban farming and gardening organization based in Clifton, New Jersey working to revitalize urban areas through agriculture and educational programming. It offers practical, technical, and financial resources in support of environmental stewardship, equitable access to healthy food, and ecologically sustainable communities. For more information contact Jasmine Moreano, Director of Community Engagement and Advocacy or visit www.citygreenonline.org.