York Fresh Food Farms

CULTIVATING COMMUNITY HEALTH THROUGH AGRICULTURE, ACCESS , AND AFFORDABILITY.

A. URBAN FARM OPERATION. YORK FRESH FOOD FARMS WAS FOUNDED TO REDUCE HUNGER IN YORK COUNTY, PA, BY GROWING SAFE, HEALTHY FOOD FOR PEOPLE IN NEED, AND ITS SUSTAINABLE, YEAR-ROUND FARMING PROGRAM GREW ALMOST 30,000 POUNDS OF VEGETABLES, HERBS AND BERRIES IN 2022 ON ITS 4+ ACRE URBAN FARM AT 2 LOCATIONS IN YORK, PA. YORK FRESH FOOD FARMS FOLLOWS ADVANCED COMMERCIAL GROWING METHODS AND USES INTENSE GROWING TECHNIQUES IN OUR 2 GREENHOUSES, 4 HIGH TUNNELS AND FOR THE FIELD CROPS, INCLUDING: DRIP IRRIGATION, FERTIGATION, INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT, TRELLISING, FIELD-BED TURNAROUND AND SUCCESSION PLANTING. FARMING IS OVERSEEN BY THE FARM MANAGER WITH 3-4 P/T SEASONAL FARM HANDS AND VOLUNTEERS WHO PLANT, RAISE, TEND, AND HARVEST THE GREENHOUSE, HIGH TUNNEL AND FIELD CROPS FROM EARLY APRIL AND UNTIL THANKSGIVING. WINTER-HARDY CROPS ARE GROWN IN 4 HIGH TUNNELS FROM NOVEMBER TO APRIL. Y3F PLAYS A CRITICAL ROLE IN THE YORK COUNTY FOOD SYSTEM AND INCREASING DIETARY CHOICES BY GROWING APPROXIMATELY 50 DIFFERENT VARIETIES OF VEGETABLES INCLUDING CULTURALLY SPECIFIC CROPS FOR BLACK AND HISPANIC CUSTOMERS. WORKING WITH OTHER YORK COUNTY, PA, FARMS AND ORCHARDS, YORK FRESH FOOD FARMS BRINGS LOCALLY GROWN FRUIT, SWEET CORN, MELONS, AND OTHER FARM PRODUCTS TO OUR YORK CITY CUSTOMERS TO SUPPLEMENT WHAT WE GROW. IN ADDITION, YORK FRESH FOOD FARMS' 4+ ACRE URBAN FARM PLAYS A KEY ROLE IN REDUCING OVERALL FOOD MILES, MINIMIZING THE URBAN HEAT ISLAND EFFECT, AND CREATING GREEN SPACES AND GREEN JOBS.

D. YCSD FAMILY PRODUCE BOX PROGRAM. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF THE CITY OF YORK, 2022 WAS THE 2ND YEAR OF THE FAMILY PRODUCE BOX PROGRAM WITH YORK FRESH FOOD FARMS SUPPLYING 150 BOXES OF FARM-FRESH PRODUCE FOR 8 CONSECUTIVE WEEKS IN JULY AND AUGUST FOR FOOD INSECURE SCHOOL DISTRICT FAMILIES. E. COMMUNITY GARDENS PROJECT. YORK FRESH FOOD FARMS' COMMUNITY GARDENS PROJECT HAS CREATED COMMUNITY GARDENS AT 4 YORK, PA, LOCATIONS. THE COMMUNITY GARDENS ARE OVERSEEN BY PROJECT MANAGER AND ARTIST, ANNALISA GOJMERAC, AND MAINTAINED BY COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS. THE COMMUNITY GARDENS PROJECT GROWS MOSTLY VEGETABLES AND NATIVE PLANS AND DONATES THE HARVESTED VEGETABLES TO NEIGHBORS, VOLUNTEERS AND LOCAL FOOD PANTRIES.

B. MOBILE PRODUCE MARKET. SINCE 2018, YORK FRESH FOOD FARMS HAS SOLD THE VEGETABLES, HERBS AND BERRIES IT GROWS, THROUGH ITS 22-WEEK (JUNE TO NOVEMBER), 6-DAYS-PER-WEEK MOBILE PRODUCE MARKET, A FARMSTAND-ON-WHEELS. WITH 2 MARKET VEHICLES (A VAN AND A SHUTTLE BUS), THE MOBILE PRODUCE MARKET SETS UP IN 15+ DIFFERENT UNDERSERVED, FOOD DESERT YORK, PA, NEIGHBORHOODS EACH WEEK TO SELL FARM-GROWN PRODUCE AT LOW AND AFFORDABLE PRICES. IN 2022, 46.29% OF THE MOBILE PRODUCE MARKET'S 3,200+ SALES WERE PAID FOR WITH SNAP OR OTHER FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS FOR LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS, SHOWING THAT YORK FRESH FOOD FARMS AND ITS PRODUCE SALES ARE REACHING LOW-INCOME FAMILIES. THE MOBILE PRODUCE MARKET HOPES TO SERVE 4,000 CUSTOMERS IN 2023. IN DECEMBER 2022, YORK FRESH FOOD FARMS STARTED WINTER MOBILE PRODUCE MARKETS (DECEMBER TO MAY 31) AT THREE YORK, PA, LOCATIONS EACH WEEK.

C. FARM SHARES PROGRAM.YORK FRESH FOOD FARMS' FARMSHARES IS AN AFFORDABLE WEEKLY BOX OF FRESH PRODUCE (AVAILABLE 52 WEEKS A YEAR), DELIVERED FREE WITHIN THE YORK, PA, CITY LIMITS (NON-CITY CUSTOMERS PICK UP THEIR FARMSHARES AT 150 WILLIS ROAD). CUSTOMERS SIGN-UP, SELECT THEIR WEEKLY PURCHASES AND PAY ONLINE.