Garfield Community Farm is an urban farming project revitalizing vacant land in Pittsburgh's Garfield neighborhood. Led by The Open Door Presbyterian Church, the farm has been learning, practicing, and teaching principles of organic, permaculture gardening in the Garfield community since 2008.

In 2010 the farm decided to build a bioshelter, a structure that extends the growing season and is heated largely by solar energy and composting. To build their bioshelter, Garfield Community Farms received a large grant from The Sprout Fund's Spring program.

Reverend John Creasy, pastor at The Open Door and Garfield Community Farm's lead farmer, says "The Sprout Fund has provided us with the opportunity to create a uniquely and creatively designed greenhouse for education toward a truly sustainable food system through all four seasons."

Garfield Community Farm is beginning their bioshelter's construction now. Throughout July the farm will host volunteer work days to construct the wood framing of the bioshelter and in late summer will conduct classes in the bioshelter focusing on four season vegetable production and practical implementation of permaculture in small scale home gardens.

Rev. Creasy encourages volunteers to learn and work on the farm, "Every Thursday night from 6 - 8 p.m. Garfield Community Farm conducts educational volunteer opportunities where community members can learn about ecological farming and how to grow their own food, all while helping get work done at the farm."

"Garfield Community Farm is taking a very grassroots approach to environmental stewardship and urban food production that allows the community to participate in and benefit from the work." said Dustin Stiver, Program Officer at The Sprout Fund. "At Sprout, we were able to support grassroots initiatives like these through our Spring program that catalyzed 20 projects to enhance biodiversity in the Pittsburgh region."

Mark your Thursdays in July for volunteer work building a bioshelter at Garfield Community Farms! For more information and opportunities to get involved, visit the farm's website.

6/18/2012