Philly's Greensgrow gets Newsweek nod

Thanks to Daily News gossip titan Dan Gross for pointing us to this recent Newsweek article, "As the Economy Struggles, Urban Gardens Grow." In addition to following up on a topic Earth to Philly has been rooting about recently, the piece cites initiatives in several U.S. cities, including Philadelphia:

With more Americans becoming conscious of "green" issues, recent economic challenges have once again introduced [urban agriculture] as an alternative for people impacted by financial shortfalls across the country. At Philadelphia's Greensgrow, a hydroponic farm situated on a lot once belonging to an abandoned galvanized steel plant, visitors are greeted by beds of organic soil blooming with vegetables that are sold for nominal fees to neighbors, nonprofits, and nearby restaurants.

As Eric Knutzen, author of The Urban Homestead: Your Guide to Self-Sufficient Living in the Heart of the City (Process, 2008), says in the Newsweek article, reclaiming vacant lots to generate nutritious produce "leads to other improvements, like caring more about our neighborhoods and bringing about more positive change right where we live."

Even if Philly has so far lagged behind in the Greenest City in America sweepstakes (there are various lists, but so far Philly has failed to rank highly on a single one that I've come across), we're among those in the forefront of this movement, thanks in no small part to the work of organizations like the Philadelphia Orchard Project. Let's keep it growing!