5 U.S. Urban Farms Providing Their Communities With Fresh, Local Food
When you think of a farm, what comes to mind? Most people envision rolling pastures with grazing cattle or rows of corn blowing in the breeze. But farming isn’t limited to rural landscapes. Some farms look more like greenhouses on city rooftops or converted shipping containers using hydroponics. Here’s a look at five urban farms across the U.S. providing their communities with fresh, local food.
1. Greensgrow
Philadelphia, PA
Nestled in what was once an abandoned factory, Greensgrow is now a nonprofit urban farm with demonstration gardens and a variety of outreach and educational programs. When the founders stumbled upon the littered lot in Kensington, they knew they could expand what was then a small operation into one that could drastically impact and improve the lives of people in their city.
Greensgrow became one of the first urban farms in the country. Today they offer everything from seed and beekeeping programs to SNAP shares and urban farm animals. They also tend to a demonstration garden bursting with native Pennsylvania plants and flowers, which they use to teach about pollinators, farm health and the importance of natural ecosystems.