During the week of July 10 through July 15, recognized as Statewide Urban Agriculture Week, Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding celebrated Pennsylvania’s Sixth Annual Urban AG Week with a statewide tour that will help residents across Pennsylvania increase ac- cess to fresh produce in food deserts; break down racial, ethnic and socioeconomic barriers; and tackle historical inequities to feed community opportunities.
On Wednesday, July 12, 2023, Agriculture Secretary Redding arrived at
Weavers Way Farm, which shares farming space with Walter B. Saul High School, 7100 Henry Avenue in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Following the introductions and speeches, the secretary toured the farm, which led down a path into the farm’s “You Pick Garden.” As evidenced in the name, the garden allows the tourists to pick from a variety of herbs and small vegetables like lavender, basil, chard, cucumbers, tomatoes, and green beans. The aroma of the sweet smell of Lavender plants, the spicy scent of the hot peppers, and basil’s savory fragrance made for an eclectic mix and created a fusion of fresh perfume outdoors in the summer heat.
Secretary Redding shared, “Agriculture is the beauty of art and science combined by cultivating soil, growing crops, and raising livestock. Learning how to grow crops is essential not only for your survival but for your community as well.” Community gardens like Pick Me Garden are a ‘very real’ necessity throughout Philadelphia and other underserved communities. Some of the new challenges that face Agriculture in 2023, such as climate change, changing weather extremes, and climate change-triggered droughts, are among the key drivers of food insecurity, insufficient agricultural land, the growing population, biodiversity loss, and low investment in agriculture.
Agriculture provides one of the necessities of life, which is food. When people don’t have food and water, they lose a fair chance in life. Access to fresh, nutritious food can positively affect an individual’s education, health, and career. When people are deprived of those basic needs, they can’t focus on succeeding in school, having a healthy lifestyle, or maintaining a successful career.
The remainder of the tour was a walk-through of the Weavers Way Farm market, where shelves were aligned with fresh vegetables, honey, jams, and other products from over 20 to 30 vendors. The refrigerator was stocked with dairy products and cheese that was curated by Saul’s students.
Jennice Forbes, a farm market intern, shared, “’We are also really thrilled to have Saul products here. We sell cheeses from Saul High School, honey from our orchard right across the street, and we work with a lot of local vendors, so just about everything in the market comes from within a 200- mile radius.” There is currently only one market available; however, another is opening soon in Germantown. The market accepts EBT and Philly Food Bucks to be more accessible to everyone.
Students from Saul High School who look to jump- start their careers in Agriculture can work at the farm store. Detailing her experience, a current Saul student (identified only as) Summer said, “As a student from the city, coming here, I really enjoy being able to experience working outside on the school farm and ,…
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