Free produce from a North Philadelphia garden
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- It used to be an empty lot, but now it has come alive.
Jonathan Upchurch of North Philadelphia remembers what it used to be like.
"When I first lived up here, it used to be just dirt and rubble," Upchurch said.
Now, the bok choy is booming. Snap peas and strawberries are prime for picking.
Temple Community Garden is nestled at the corner of Diamond and Carlisle in North Philadelphia, a stone's throw from Broad Street.
Caroline Burkholder, Temple University's Office of Sustainability Coordinator, explained, "This is a space to develop urban agricultural skills and give back delicious, organic veggies to students and neighbors in North Central Philadelphia."
Fruit is still ripening on the trees. The trees are planted near 30 raised beds that sprout a rainbow of fruits, veggies, and tasty herbs.
Some of the plants start inside growing pots in a solar powered building at the garden's edge and are transferred outside.
This garden is student-run. Their mission is to combat food insecurity in North Philadelphia. A farmstand is open on Friday afternoons where students and neighbors can come pick up produce for free.
Temple student Claire McGlinchey said, "We really like to listen to the community. We're always asking what they want to see in this garden and taking direction from them."
Temple Senior Ali Gisch added, "I think it is really good at combatting the food insecurity, and I think it's a really good social environment to bring the community members together."
Indeed, there are plenty of volunteer opportunties for people who want to help.
McGlinchey tells 6abc, "That's some of the best moments I have here is when we're giving out vegetables and someone asks what we're doing here and if they can help, and the answer is always 'yes'."
You can come here to get your free produce on Friday afternoons at 4pm during the growing season.
To learn more about TCG:
https://sustainability.temple.edu/get-involved/students-get-involved-page/temple-community-garden
