Your Guide To Philly Farm Stands

THERE’S A LUSH GARDEN AT 8TH AND POPLAR I OFTEN PASS on my bike during the summer. For a while, I eyed the ruby stems of Swiss chard and yellow garlic tops as I sped by. When I finally stopped to check it out, I learned that the neighbors also grow sugarcane; solar panel power the farm; and the cherry tree fruits like crazy in June, bringing volunteer pickers (and eaters). With so many large farmers’ markets bringing the region’s growers here, it’s easy to overlook the city’s many tiny stands that sell produce from a single farm. If you visit them, you’ll find fruits and vegetables grown on site that reflect the distinct tastes and food cultures of the gardeners. Check out a few this summer—it’s a great way to explore a pocket of the city, to shop hyper-local, and to support the vibrant community spaces that feed our neighborhoods. Make an afternoon of the excursion by stopping at a nearby Edible-approved restaurant for lunch, dinner, or a drink after your shopping spree.

LATE SUMMER FRUIT AT 8TH & POPLAR
 

Teens run this quarter-acre patch of green, the Federation of Neighborhood Centers’ first urban farm. Take a tour before you do your shopping. Farm stand hits include tender red butterleaf lettuces, high-tunnel-grown heirloom tomatoes, blackberries, plums, and figs. It’s a great stop for a bouquet, too: Farm manager Marta Lynch carves out a few beds for flowers like snapdragons and sweet peas.

•• DINNER NEARBY HELM

Through the growing season, this BYO highlights 8th & Poplar’s produce like strawberries, spinach, and garlic scapes.

U-PICK HERBS & FLOWERS AT HENRY GOT CROPS FARM MARKET
 

Weavers Way Co-op Farm, on the sprawling campus of W.B. Saul Agricultural High School, serves as a site for farm education and local food production. Students, teachers, and staff tend the crops together. The onsite market is stocked with staples (like local bread, yogurt, and eggs) as well as the farm’s specialties like hard-to-find stinging nettles, dandelion greens, hon tsai sai, edamame, and paw paws. Stroll through the garden to pick your own herbs and flowers.

•• LUNCH NEARBY DALESSANDRO'S

The beloved cheesesteak stop chops their beef fine. Pile on extra fried onions; hot, banana, and sweet peppers; and grab a cold beer.

GET YOUR HANDS IN THE DIRT AT LIFE DO GROW FARM
 

Urban Creators, a grassroots organization known for their model of regenerative urban agriculture, transformed the neighborhood garbage dump into a dynamic farm and learning space. Now, it’s a source for fresh produce in a neighborhood that doesn’t have reliable access. At their monthly market, shop for kale, collards, squash, and carrots and sample herbal teas and pickles made with farm-grown goods. Stick around to enjoy music while you help out with a farm project—volunteers are crucial at Life Do Grow.

•• DRINKS NEARBY COMMON GROUNDS

Try the matcha smoothie at this new café near Temple’s campus. The blend of banana, yogurt, almond milk, matcha green tea, and honey cools and satiates.

ALL THE GREENS AT GREENSGROW FARMS
 

Kensington’s famous urban farm started out as a hydroponic lettuce operation in 1998. Now it’s a hub of urban agriculture, running regular classes, a seasonal nursery, a CSA program, and a well-stocked farm stand. Still true to the name, expect varieties of salad mix, Asian greens, Swiss Chard, along with a few root crops, eggplants and tomatoes. Don’t miss honey from the farms’ bees.

•• LUNCH NEARBY PIZZA BRAIN

Start with a slice as big as your face, wander through the pizza museum, and end up next door for Little Baby’s offthe- wall ice cream flavors.

GROWING MOTIVATION AT GERMANTOWN KITCHEN GARDEN
 

Find tender greens, fresh herbs and teas, and fruits like gooseberries and currants at this half-acre farm and nursery. Sign up for the farm share to pay ahead and choose what you’d like each week. The nursery specializes in native plants—their experts can help you set up your own garden, with perennial herbs, pollinatorattracting flowers, or fruit trees.

•• DINNER NEARBY SEORABOL RESTAURANT

Check out the original location of this beloved Korean BBQ and sushi restaurant that recently opened in Center City.

BERRIES AT BREWERYTOWN GARDEN
 

This garden was started by Marathon Grill and saved by the neighbors. Now, about 75 community members tend to plots in the expansive greenspace. They’re particularly proud of their sweet summer fruit—stop by the farm stand in June for the strawberries and later in August for blackberries and cherry tomatoes.

•• DRINKS NEARBY CRIME & PUNISHMENT BREWING CO.

Try the Sudden Zest—a refreshing blood-orange gose—and a Russianinspired snack off the zakuski menu, which includes my favorite bowl of pickles in the city.

PUERTO RICAN PIQUE AT NORRIS SQUARE
 

Through Norris Square Neighborhood Project’s summer internship, students learn to grow, harvest, and prep produce for market. Try neighborhood favorites like pigeon peas and pique sauce made with freshly harvested oregano, thyme, garlic, ahi, and yellow Scotch peppers. And don’t miss herbaceous lip balm and tinctures.

•• LUNCH NEARBY LECHONERA PRINCIPE

Owners Santiago and Margarita Principe roast whole pigs over a charcoal pit behind their Puerto Rican restaurant. Go early for the choicest bits of meat.

URBAN FARMSTANDS
 

FARM STANDS
8th & Poplar
800 Poplar St.
Wednesday, 3–6pm,
June 5–October 30

Henry Got Crops
W.B. Saul Agricultural High School, 7095 Henry Ave.
Tuesday & Friday, noon–7pm;
May 7–November 29
weaversway.coop

Life Do Grow Farm
2315 N. 11th St.
Every 2nd Saturday, noon–4pm, May–September
phillyurbancreators.org

Greensgrow Farms
2501 E. Cumberland St.
Thursday, 3–7pm;
Saturday, 10am–2pm,
May–September
greensgrow.org

Germantown Kitchen Garden
215 E. Penn St.
Saturday, 9am–1pm, May–October
germantownkitchengarden.com

Brewerytown Garden
2634-44 W. Master St.
Saturday, 9am–noon,
June 1–September 28
brewerytowngarden.com

Norris Square Community Alliance
Norris Square Park, Howard St.
Every other Wednesday,
3–5pm, July 10–November 20

WHERE TO EAT NEARBY
Helm
1303 N. 5th St.
215.309.2211
helmphilly.com

Dalessandro’s
600 Westover St.
215.482.5407
dalessandros.com

Common Grounds
1626 Cecil B. Moore Ave.
215.575.5004
commongroundsphilly.com

Pizza Brain
2313 Frankford Ave.
215.291.2965
pizzabrain.org

Seorabol Restaurant
5734 Old 2nd St.
215.924.3355
philadelphiakoreanrestaurant.com

Crime & Punishment Brewing Co.
2711 W. Girard Ave.
215.235.2739
crimeandpunishmentbrewingco.com

Lechonera Principe
237 Cecil B. Moore Ave.
215.235.9048