Picnic, Learn and Grow This Summer in New Pop Up Community Garden

Last Friday, the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) launched its second pop up garden in an empty lot at 19th & Walnut, just off the northwest corner of Rittenhouse Square. We're proponents of transforming any unused lots into green space, but this one struck a special chord. 22nd & Philly was conceived while we lived at 22nd and Walnut, and for three years we would shake our heads as we walked past this multi-million dollar piece of city real estate that was left to sit as a barren wasteland. What a shame! Bradd's vision was to turn it into a Citizens Bank Park replica for whiffle ball, but a community garden is also a nice idea.

19th & Walnut pop up garden

So it was with pleasure that I braved the oppressive heat last Friday to attend the grand opening of the garden. Mayor Nutter gave a quick speech emphasizing the importance of these gardens to bring fresh food to thousands of Philadelphians who don't have regular access to it. It is also part of a critical effort to clean up our city's plethora of abandoned and empty lots with green space for communities to enjoy. According to Nutter, Philadelphia's goal is to be the #1 green city in America.

Philly Food Shed: Turning Vacant Lots into Urban Farms

It is always striking to me when I walk around Philly and see vacant lots everywhere. There is even a vacant lot right off busy Rittenhouse Square. (It would make a perfect whiffleball field!) I’m not a real estate guru, but one would think we can do more with empty lots than let them sit idle for years. From a city management perspective they are an eyesore and frankly disgraceful.

Empty lot off Rittenhouse Sq.

It was therefore a pleasant surprise to learn about Philly Food Shed, which is aiming to turn these empty spaces into urban gardens. This concept is not new, but Philly Food Shed is trying to take it one step further by combining the demand to eat local ingredients with urban farming.

The goal is to work with restaurants, stores and others to purchase produce ahead of the growing season. This "future" demand then allows community groups to develop urban farms on empty lots that grow the food to meet this demand.

It's an interesting idea and could be a big win for Philly if it works. I was curious to find out more and asked the founder, Tivoni Devor, to answer some questions.

What follows is a lightly edited transcript of our conversation.