Photos: Greensgrow Farms Moves West, Aims to Engage Community

Kensington’s popular Greensgrow Farms expanded to West Philadelphia in early April with the opening of the Greensgrow West garden center on the 4900-block of Baltimore Avenue.

The garden center includes a weekly farmer’s market and CSA, and it aims to be a focal point for community interaction through classes, workshops, and other gatherings designed around community sustainability.

Greensgrow West will continue its SNAP Box program, which is a weekly farm share with inexpensive fruits and vegetables for peiople who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and have a state ACCESS card.

The organization decided to open its outpost in West Philadelphia as a response to years of the neighborhood asking for a garden center, according to Ryan Kuck, project director at Greensgrow.

“Greening and fresh food access issues lead the responses in nearly every neighborhood survey,” Kuck said. Also, Greensgrow was running a Fresh Food Hub truck in tandem with the volunteers at Preston’s Paradise in West Powelton, Belmont and Mantua. Kuck said that this garden center is a way to “deepen our engagement” with West Philadelphia residents.

Kuck said that Greensgrow’s new location has been received well by local businesses, politicians, and community gardeners. The project director makes it clear that he is always happy to collaborate with local residents and organizations. He also encourages neighbors to provide input.

“We welcome any and all feedback about how Greensgrow West can support and elevate the robust community of greening in West Philly,” Kuck said.

Below find more photos of the new Greensgrow West location. Photos by Albert Yee