History
In 2007, a group of concerned parents identified a complex problem: We felt out of touch with the industrialized, impersonal food systems that were created to give our families sustenance. But our goal was simple: We wanted to cultivate connection – with each other; with the process of seeds sprouting, growing and nourishing us; with farmers; and, ultimately, with our planet.
Through community-based farms and experiential gardens we got our start. Beginning in 2008, we formed important partnerships to begin revitalizing underutilized land. After the creation of the Sugartown Exploration Garden and the Farm at Waterloo Mills that year, we expanded in 2009 to add Hillside Farm at Elwyn and Skunk Hollow Community Farm in Radnor Township's Willows Park. To provide hands-on learning opportunities for young people, we founded the ESF Dream Garden to work with students at Girard College. Since then, we've grown our CSA program – which now serves more than 100 families across Philadelphia – and we're continuing to expand our Farm Hubs to provide more produce and better educational experiences for area children and families and to train our next generation of farmers.