This summer, the Neighborhood Gardens Trust was thrilled to acquire and preserve a key property at the Farm on Florence, a community garden located in the Kingsessing neighborhood in Southwest Philadelphia, making it NGT’s 54th protected garden.
A vision for the Farm on Florence began to take root eight years ago. Sandra Dandridge, (pictured above), the block captain of 5400 Florence had lived across the street for 30 years and remembers when the row houses on that land burned down. Sandra has watched over the land like a hawk ever since, to deter dumping and other crime.
In 2018, West Philadelphia residents Selah Lynch and Alex Miller, purchased one of the lots to start gardening, with hopes of beautifying the space and bringing community together. They came out one day to plant the first raspberry bush. Sandra immediately came over to ask what they were doing. Although that first plant didn’t make it, the garden and the relationship between Selah, Alex and Sandra has flourished ever since.
Today, the Farm on Florence has 20 raised beds where neighbors grow organic vegetables and a small orchard including Pear, Fig, and Pawpaw trees. Plentiful raspberry bushes also thrive today, as does the garden community.
Close to 30 people actively garden at the Farm on Florence, with additional neighbors on a waitlist for plots. Neighborhood kids come to play, help, and learn about plants and insects. Each year the gardeners hold a spring cleanup and a fall harvest festival, sharing food and welcoming the larger community to come out and get involved.
I have seen people sit in the garden in the chairs that were put around the garden and just be quiet. It’s important to have a safe green space. The garden has become a place where the neighbors can come and sit and be at peace.
–Jacqueline Williams, Farm on Florence gardener and neighbor
Finding a pathway to preservation
Despite all the hard work and the goodness Farm on Florence provides, the gardeners were plagued with worries because the Farm faced an uncertain future. It is comprised of 10 land parcels, with many different owners, including Philadelphia Land Bank, land speculators, and long-time owners who are deceased.
The gardeners knew it would not be an easy feat to acquire all the parcels and reached out to NGT in 2019 for help. NGT plotted out a course of action for land assembly and preservation through transactions with the Philadelphia Land Bank and private property owners. We also looped the gardeners into larger citywide advocacy efforts on issues that threaten the Farm.
NGT was able to ensure that the two most threatened parcels were included in the city’s deal with U.S. Bank which has prevented the loss of many community gardens at Sheriff’s sale. We have also focused on raising funds from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) and through NGT’s Gaining Ground Campaign to be able to purchase privately-owned lots at the Farm.
Early in 2024, a wonderful and unexpected opportunity arose when the heirs to one of the Florence Street properties reached out to the garden. Through some detective work, they realized that a lot in their mother’s name was part of a thriving community garden, and they decided to donate it to NGT, making a gift to the Kingsessing community that will last for generations.
In late July, NGT went to settlement, and the property is now permanently protected. NGT is moving forward to acquire and preserve the remaining parcels.
Looking ahead
With this foothold, NGT is positioned to work with the gardeners to tackle other challenges, including the need for on-site water access, to repair the sidewalks, and to develop and implement an invasive plant and tree management plan.
“We have been blown away by what NGT has been able to do… Really grateful, really exceeded our hopes,” said Selah.
Farm on Florence is included in the Green Vision Plan for Kingsessing, which was developed over the past two years through a community-driven process with support from the William Penn Foundation as part of the Resilient Communities Stormwater Initiative. Through the William Penn Foundation and other resources, NGT will help to implement infrastructure projects that address the garden’s needs and enhance climate resiliency.
In addition to physical garden improvements, the gardeners hope to connect with the Thomas Harden Mastery Charter school down the street, so the kids can regularly visit the garden. They also dream of working with the National Alliance on Mental Illness to run a green space work-focused support group to support mental health. NGT is committed to working with the Farm on Florence gardeners, so that these dreams can become a reality.
You can follow Farm on Florence on Facebook for photos and updates.