Support a New Sidewalk and Planter at Emerald St.

In 2008, a group of neighbors got together to turn this weedy, trashed vacant lot:

 

 

 

…into Emerald Street Community Farm. Today, the farm grows thousands of pounds of food each season in the community for neighbors and families throughout the East Kensington community. They donate produce to a local soup kitchen and other food distribution networks. The Farm hosts weekly farm nights where community members can meet with their neighbors, learn gardening skills, harvest food, and enjoy the garden's natural beauty. They are also open to the community to enjoy the space during the day. Each year, the farm host multiple events, including movie nights, music events, and its neighborhood famous Haunted House and Halloween Celebration. Currently, the farm offers composting to 30+ individuals & families. Its run by 8 committees that anyone is welcome to participate in, and the committee coordinators comprise the Farm Board. The Farm Board is elected each year and is tasked with sustaining the farm into the future and ensuring that it adjusts to meet the neighborhood's needs.

 

 

The farm has received made many improvements to the space, including a new sidewalk equipped with bike racks on the Emerald St. side. However, this is the view on Dauphin Street, the main thoroughfare for much of the community to the York-Dauphin El Train stop. In the summer, weeds grow through the cracks and in the winter, it’s tough to shovel. It also makes it very hard to keep the fenceline free of weeds and clean.

 

 

 

 

However, even with these challenges, they've still been able to create plantings and natural beauty that make people take time to stop and smell the flowers.

 

 

 

 

Emerald Street Community Farm is asking community members and beyond to help raise $5,000 to fund a new sidewalk equipped with a concrete planting bed that will run for much of the length of the fenceline and provide growing space for its ornamental plants on the outside of the fence. This project will provide a much nicer and safer sidewalk for pedestrians from all over the neighborhood to use and ensure the sustainability of its planting bed to limit the maintenance and increase the beauty of the garden. Any extra money fundraised will help procure soil and more plants for the planter.

 

Emerald Street Community Farm is incredibly grateful for the support of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, which is helping with part of the funding for this project and for the Neighborhood Gardens Trust, which is the non-profit land trust owner of the garden and is what makes your donation tax-deductible.

 

Emerald Street thanks you for your support and helping to keep the “Love in the Veggies.”