Philadelphia Urban Creators

Cheaper Produce and After School Activities

BY MARISSA OSWALD At the block of Susquehanna and 11 street lies unexpected terrain: a shady grove spotted with mosaic animal sculptures adjacent to a newly plowed garden amongst the littered weeds and chunks of old pavement. Here, Temple and North Philadelphia high school students have planted the first seeds of Philadelphia Urban Creators, a movement in urban gardening that had received gobs of media attention from Grid Magazine. Despite the many urban gardens that have popped up around Philadelphia, PUC’s plot of land could easily be considered a farm, and  volunteer and Temple student Amelia Field-Blanda says that it may become one.

“Eventually, we want to build a farm stand near the road and literally turn the property into a farm,” said Field-Blanda.

By comparing prices of items at the local supermarket Fresh Grocer, PUC plans to split those prices in half so that community members can get cheap, organic produce.

But that isn’t the sole purpose of PUC.

The group is using urban farming as a way of unifying the community through education and youth empowerment.  One of the ways they do this is by involving area high school kids. Their involvement, in fact, is key is encouraging PUC’s efforts to grow.  And while the crops harvested will be sold to the community for half the price of Fresh Grocer’s food, the profits will be used to pay people who work there.

Other prospective profits could come from area restaurants; this is truly the most local, fresh ingredients available. This unusual blend of community-based art, food sourcing, and education is the perfect supplement to make the community stronger.

Another aspect of PUC is the many clever techniques used for urban farming. Many members took farming classes or workshops and are very knowledgeable.  Some sustainable designs of their own include a shade structure made out of old piping and a large tarp.  The structure can easily be moved to any part of the garden on sticky, 100 degree city afternoons.

Another sustainable farming technique used to eliminate premature roasted vegetables is large, lidless Gatorade containers lining the garden.  The catch rain, which is drained straight into the gardens through the dispenser or used to fill up pails that are then moved around the farm, making for a costless, harmless form of irrigation.

The beds themselves are trenched, meaning they are below ground level for more shade and ground water, promoting plant life. Field-Blanda’s favorite feature is the sprouting fence, which she built around the first gardens they planted this spring.  Although it looks like crossed twigs, it will grow into a lush wall of ivy sheltering the crops.

As we were leaving the site, two community members across the street congratulated the PUC volunteers on their efforts, “What you guys are doing out here is beautiful!”

And that’s all the encouragement they need.

Field-Blanda admitted, “We go on doing what we’re doing, but don’t always know how the community or other people feel about it.”

PUC’s efforts are only beginning.  With the desire to build a farm stand, tool shed, and collaborate with local restaurants there is still a lot of work to do.  The group is looking for support through volunteers as well as education.  Communications and farming savvy people can volunteer.  Go to the Philadelphia Urban Creators Facebook page and LIKE it or lend a few summer hours watering plants while hanging out in one of North Philly’s few blocks of foliage.