Greensgrow Farms – from brownfield to model commercial urban farm

See the TV episode here.

Must-see interview with Mary Seton Corboy of Greensgrow Farms

By Growing a Greener World, a groundbreaking new television series that delivers the latest trends in eco-friendly living mixed with traditional gardening know-how to a modern audience.

Excerpt:

Joe and Patti journey to Philadelphia, home of Greensgrow Farms, fulfillment of the dream of visionary in urban farming, Mary Seton Corboy. More than ten years ago a city block in the Kensington area was the site of an abandoned galvanized steel plant and an EPA brownfields project (see below) that the neighborhood had given up on. But not Mary. Beginning the experimental transformation she was growing lettuce hydroponically (growing plants in a water and nutrient solution without soil) for her clients; high-end local restaurants in need of fresh, organic produce. But the one attribute she prides herself on is her ability to change.

At the time there weren’t any urban farms to model themselves after, but today Greensgrow is a prime example of the urban farm concept, houses a retail nursery, hosts a weekly farmers market, CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) and a teaching community kitchen. They still deliver to restaurants however now they obtain used vegetable oil which is refined into bio-diesel fuel that powers their vehicles. Now, that is ‘walking their talk’ and as you will see there is much more.

Mary considers Greensgrow to be the bridge between the constantly changing urban consumer and the rural producer. They help the farmer understand these changes and encourage them to grow that which customers are interested. She is quick to say that urban farming is not taking the place of the rural producer but rather is the vehicle for educating the consumer about its benefits.

See the TV episode here.