“Bamboo Lot” at 5123 Baltimore Ave.

As was reported last spring, Greensgrow West, which is currently renting the former Elena’s Soul space at 4912 Baltimore Avenue, had secured a new, bigger location on the 5100 block of Baltimore, on the so-called “Bamboo Lot.”

We’re happy to report that Greensgrow is preparing to welcome customers at the new location by mid to late summer. The new location will have an expanded garden and education center, including a plant nursery, a farmers’ market, a greenhouse, an outdoor classroom, and gathering space. Here’s what Greensgrow West Assistant Manager Lee Baldwin writes about the relocation:

“We will be operating our retail sales out of our familiar 4912 Baltimore Avenue location through mid to late summer. Our current plan is to use the hot months of July and August to transfer the bulk of our operations to the new 5123 Baltimore Avenue location. We are usually at our slowest during late July and early August, and so there will be less impact on our customers if we move during that time.”  Continue Reading

Spring is in full swing and it’s time to stock up on your gardening supplies. The West Philly location of Greensgrow Farms is reopening this weekend just in time. Although smaller than the flagship location in Kensington, Greensgrow West features a fully stocked garden center.

Starting this Friday, you can stop by at 4912 Baltimore Avenue and pick up seeds and seed starting supplies, as well as soils, soil amendments, mulch and more. Also, spring bulbs, pansies, and Easter plants will be available for sale this weekend, plus there will be a special sale on emerging fall blooming perennials!

Greensgrow West is also a farmstand and CSA pick-up location for the Greensgrow Summer CSA program, registration for which is currently underway. Full-share, half-share and add-on share options are available. The CSA season begins the week of May 19 and ends the week of November 3.  Continue Reading

Friday, Feb. 26 is National CSA Day celebrating community-supported agriculture. This is the day when many farms start offering sign-ups for their summer CSA programs.

One of local CSA programs, Greensgrow Summer CSA, is also launching their online application this Friday and inviting West Philly residents to Dock Street for a happy hour from 4-6 p.m. There you can meet Katie Jacoby, a West Philly neighbor and CSA manager, who will answer your questions about what’s in store this season.

There will also be a guest appearance and sampling by Fikira Bakery, which will be joining CSA this year by providing a Greensgrow West bakery share.

Friday’s event is also an opportunity to sign up for a discounted share and a further discount for returning members. Monica McCollin, the manager for the SNAP box program and a West Philly resident, will be at Dock Street to answer any questions about the monthly affordable access share.

The Greensgrow Summer CSA runs from mid-May through early November, and shares can be picked up at their West Philly location at 4912 Baltimore Avenue.

If you can’t make it to Friday’s event and would like to sign up, you can do it online starting Feb. 26. A $15 discount will be applied if you sign up by March 11, 2016, just use the code WPLOCALS16 at online signup at http://greensgrow.csasignup.com/members.

We’ll let you know about other 2016 Summer CSA programs soon. In the meantime, check out our previous posts here.

There are a few job openings and job training opportunities in West Philadelphia this month.

Two seasonal, part-time positions are currently open at Greensgrow West (4912 Baltimore Avenue):

Customer Service Specialist will work as a member of the sales team at the Greensgrow West Garden Center 2-3 days a week and should be available from Friday through Tuesday when the site is open for business. There will also be several events outside the regularly open hours. This person will primarily serve as a weekend cashier, and duties will include, but will not be limited to: ringing up customers, answering the phone, interacting with customers, representing Greensgrow to the local community, and helping keep the store, merchandise and storefront tidy and presentable. This position is March through June, working approximately 24 hours a week. For more information about the job, job requirements and how to apply, please visit: http://www.greensgrow.org/get-involved/jobs/

Customer Service and Horticultural Specialist will work as a member of the sales team at the Garden Center 4-5 days a week, and should be available from Friday through Tuesday when the site is open for business. There will also be several events outside of the regularly open hours. This person will be responsible for maintaining high quality plant material, interact with the customers as a salesperson and resource, making sure the site is kept clean and attractive for customers and guests, helping with the CSA, and completing daily job tasks as assigned by the site manager. This position starts in March, working approximately 30 hours a week. For more information about the job, job requirements and how to apply, please visit: http://www.greensgrow.org/get-involved/jobs/

The West Philadelphia Skills Initiative is recruiting West Philadelphia residents interested in training and job opportunities as Landscape Technicians with Green City Works, University City District’s landscaping venture. Successful candidates will have landscaping or related experience, have a high school diploma or GED, be unemployed, and live in West Philadelphia (defined by zip codes 19104, 19131, 19139, 19143, 19151). The application deadline is Friday, Feb. 26, 2016. Apply online here, or print and mail/fax the program application to WPSI. More information is available on this page.

Photo via Greensgrow West Facebook page.

Community members are invited to check out the newest location of the urban farming hub Greensgrow Farms beginning Thursday, April 3. The opening party will be on Saturday, April 5!

Last month, we wrote about Greensgrow Farms’ plans to open a West Philly location at 4912 Baltimore Avenue, the former home of Elena’s Soul Bar & Lounge destroyed by fire in December 2012.

Greensgrow West will include a garden center featuring veggie starts, soils, tools, annuals and perennials, fruit trees, and expert help. The new location will also have a seasonal farmstand and CSA pick-up every Friday. Finally, Greensgrow West is planning to offer educational workshops for the community.

Greensgrow West hours, starting April 3, will be:

Garden Center: Thursday-Sunday 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
CSA Pick-up & Farmstand: Fridays 3:00-6:00 p.m.

For more information, visit http://www.greensgrow.org/ or facebook.com/GreensgrowWest