ASBURY PARK, N.J. — It’s still hard for some to believe, but the produce at Kula Urban Farm’s ‘Farm Without Borders’  — from raspberries to radishes — is offered to residents for free. 

“There’s really no fence, no gate, nothing and people can walk right in there,” says founder Matthias van Oosterhout. “We have had no vandalism whatsoever.” 

The urban farm serves nearby low-income communities by inviting neighbors to pick fresh fruit, vegetables and herbs for their next meals at no cost. Local pantries also get donations of fresh produce from the gardens year-round. The urban oasis hires individuals who face barriers entering the workforce, such as those who have served time in prison. Interfaith Neighbors, the nonprofit umbrella organization which runs the social enterprise, is receiving $100,000 from the Gannett Foundation’s A Community Thrives program to expand the farm.