Urban Farming in Philly

Yes, I said farming.  Not quite on the scale of the soybeans and corn down the street from my house, but definitely much more so than any urban location I've seen before.  I'm not sure that it's all totally unique to Philadelphia, but to see it all happening at once is truly special.  The initiatives there to get fresh veggies into the hands of people who might not otherwise have access made this local food evangelist warm and tingly all over. 

First, meet Mary Corboy, of Greensgrow Farm.  I was trying to think of a title to give her just there, and I can't seem to find a word that would encompass all she does at Greensgrow...Founder? Head-gardener? Mayor? General?  

No matter, suffice to say, she took a former super-fund site and made it into an inner-city mecca for local food.  As she said (a bit more colorfully, which sort of made me fall in love with her right then and there), it's not about politics, it's about getting good food to people who need it.

And can I just list for you a few of the ways that Greensgrow does that?  In addition to a lovely plant nursery, they have a regular farmstand, a CSA, a low-income CSA, and a work share CSA (i.e. you come work a few hours per week and get your veggies at reduced cost). Every permanent structure has a green roof, and their trucks operate on bio-diesel (yes, that's leftover cooking oil).  They've also recently opened a community kitchen where not only do they can some of their produce, but others wanting to start food related businesses can come work as well.  And all of this in a neighborhood that would otherwise not have access to good fresh food.

*Sigh*   

Despite the wonderful aspects of the farm, Mary was quick to point out that Greensgrow is not as utopic as it seems.  Gentrification concerns seemed to be prevalent in the neighborhoods of both urban farms we visited.  Additionally, a problem I could relate to, Mary noted that there was currently a bit of a neighborhood battle going on regarding the Greensgrow rooster-in-residence!  

Nonetheless, it was a fabulous example of all the lovely food that can be grown, even without acres and amber waves of grain....

We also visited Marathon Farm, a farm and community garden that was created just this year.  Again, it's a former vacant lot in a neighborhood that would not otherwise have access to fresh veggies.  About a third of the space is a community garden, and the rest is taken care of by Marathon.  About half the produce is then sold in the neighborhood at below super-market prices.  The other half goes to the Marathon restaurants, which are all in the Philadelphia area. 

I'll admit that part was kind of fun.  Because after touring the farm we ate at Marathon on the Square.  See those greens I had for lunch?  Straight from the farm!

A few other initiatives that made me so very happy to see were programs like "Philly Food Bucks" and "Double Dollars".  Both are programs that allow people receiving food stamps to make their benefits stretch farther when they use them for nutritious food.  For example, at the Fair Food Farmstand at Reading Terminal Market, for every five dollars in food stamps a person spends, they get five dollars more, up to twenty dollars per week.  

Just a few weeks ago, I was reading about New York's proposed ban on using food stamps to buy sodas.  The nuances of the arguments for and against are too many shades of grey to discuss here, but I remember thinking (and the post sorta half way suggests) that maybe the solution isn't to ban certain foods, but to offer a "carrot" for making healthier choices.  

A lot of the things I've mentioned above are being done, even as we speak, in Lawrence.  (I love my town.)  But despite it's general fabulousness, there is no similar matching program at our farmer's market, which is something I'd love to see change.


I could go on for days, but how 'bout I further spread along some Greensgrow goodies instead?

Today's giveaway is a jar of pickled ramps from Greensgrow Farm.  (The fiddleheads are long gone already!)  To enter, leave a comment below answering:  What's your favorite fresh vegetable?

The winner will be picked Friday morning.

And the winner is Rob!

Comments

[Lydia Krebs]

cucumbers!! (or are those fruits?) :-)

[Rob Freiling]

Squash. Since pickles are too obvious... : )

[Angela Dunn]

Peas please!

[Jim Craney]

What a wonderful blog you have, the photos are enticing- I learned what ramps are at a group dinner at Dilworthtown Inn- someone at our table explained that they thrive in West Virgina !

[Meryl]

Thanks for stopping in!  I think ramps must be a bigger deal in the New England area.  I dont know if Ive ever seen them at our local farmers market.