Tucked away in the heart of West Philadelphia, in a neighborhood known as Mill Creek, lies an agricultural oasis in an otherwise blighted urban landscape. Located at 4901 Brown Street, the Mill Creek Farm is an urban agricultural project whose cultivators are doing more than just growing produce.
The Mill Creek Farm was established in 2005 on a vacant plot of land owned by the Philadelphia Housing Authority. Thanks to the efforts of Co-Directors Johanna Rosen Jade Walker, what was once an eyesore has become a great community resource. Not only has the farm supplied Mill Creek residents with access to fresh locally grown produce, but it has also functioned as a community gathering space and educational destination for students.
As a non-profit organization, funding remains an issue. There are only two paid, staff members and the farm depends heavily on volunteer support.
The enthusiasm that volunteers have for the farm is obvious, and reliance on private donations as well as grant funding, says Rosen, is proving relatively stable. Despite the positive impacts the farm has had, the Mill Creek community is still not entirely supportive.
For more information about the Mill Creek Farm, visit www.millcreekurbanfarm.org.
Group #fa1022, Mill Creek, Benjamin Frommer, Jay Jones
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