York Fresh Food Farms

CULTIVATING COMMUNITY HEALTH THROUGH AGRICULTURE, ACCESS , AND AFFORDABILITY.

A. URBAN FARM OPERATION. OPERATING A SUSTAINABLE, ORGANIC, COMMUNITY-BASED, NONPROFIT URBAN FARM IS YORK FRESH FOOD FARMS' MAJOR ACTIVITY. YORK FRESH FOOD FARMS OPERATES A NONPROFIT URBAN FARM AT TWO LOCATIONS IN THE CITY OF YORK, PENNSYLVANIA: AT 150 WILLIS ROAD AND ON A 3+ ACRE AREA BEHIND 1195 ROOSEVELT AVENUE IN THE FIRESIDE NEIGHBORHOOD OF YORK CITY. IN 2020, YORK FRESH FOOD FARMS GREW MORE THAN 15 TONS OF VEGETABLES IN THAT WERE DISTRIBUTED TO FAMILIES IN NEED. YORK FRESH FOOD FARMS' PROGRAMS SERVE LOW INCOME, UNDERSERVED AND FOOD INSECURE FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS IN THE CITY OF YORK, PENNSYLVANIA. BY INCREASING ACCESS TO FRESH PRODUCE, YORK FRESH FOOD FARMS IS HELPING TO BUILD A HEALTHIER COMMUNITY.YORK FRESH FOOD FARMS CROPS INCLUDE: ASPARAGUS, BEANS, BEETS, BROCCOLI, CABBAGE, CALABAZA, CAULIFLOWER, COLLARD GREENS, CUCUMBERS, EGGPLANT, KALE, LETTUCE, SALAD GREENS, HERBS, LEEKS, OKRA, ONIONS, PEPPERS, RASPBERRIES, RHUBARB, WINTER AND SUMMER SQUASH, SWEET POTATOES, AND TOMATOES. YORK FRESH FOOD FARMS GROWS MANY CULTURALLY SPECIFIC CROPS FOR YORK CITY'S SPANISH SPEAKING RESIDENTS. THESE INCLUDE: CALABAZA (PUMPKIN SQUASH), RECAO, PAPALO, CILANTRO, AND A VARIETY OF SWEET AND HOT PEPPERS. YORK FRESH FOOD FARMS' PRODUCTION AGRICULTURE FOLLOWS ORGANIC METHODS USING PLASTIC MULCH (STRAW MULCH FOR SOME CROPS), DRIP-LINE IRRIGATION AND FERTIGATION (APPLYING DISSOLVED FERTILIZER WITH IRRIGATION) TO INCREASE WATER USE EFFICIENCY, REDUCE FOLIAR DISEASES, PREVENT EROSION AND INCREASE YIELD. STARTING PLANTS FROM SEED IN YORK FRESH FOOD FARMS' TWO GREENHOUSES, ALLOWS THE FARM MANAGERS TO GROW CROPS NOT OTHERWISE COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE. SUCCESSION PLANTING (GROWING ONE CROP RIGHT AFTER THE PREVIOUS ONE IS HARVESTED) ALLOWS YORK FRESH FOOD FARMS TO GET 2 OR 3 HARVESTS FROM THE SAME LAND. TWO 2,500 SF HIGH TUNNELS/HOOP HOUSES ALLOW YORK FRESH FOOD FARMS TO GROW TRELLISED TOMATOES, PEPPERS AND CUCUMBERS IN A CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT THAT PRODUCES MORE FRUIT AND THE HIGH TUNNELS EXTEND THE GROWING SEASON BOTH IN THE SPRING AND THE FALL. AN 8' X 16' COLD ROOM (WALK-IN REFRIGERATION) WAS CONSTRUCTED WITH A GRANT FROM WELLSPAN COMMUNITY PARTNERS IN 2017 FOR STORING HARVESTED VEGETABLES TO PRESERVE THEIR TASTE, FRESHNESS AND NUTRITIONAL VALUE.YORK FRESH FOOD FARMS' FARM MANAGER OVERSEES AND DIRECTS OPERATIONS AND PROGRAMS WITH THE HELP OF AN ASSISTANT FARM MANAGER AND THREE PART-TIME SEASONAL FARM WORKERS. VOLUNTEERS ALSO HELP WITH FARM WORK, THE MOBILE MARKET AND ADMINISTRATION.YORK FRESH FOOD FARMS IS A DEMONSTRATION FARM, OPEN TO THE PUBLIC DURING BUSINESS HOURS AND OPERATED AS A RESOURCE CONNECTING NEIGHBORS AND COMMUNITY RESIDENTS TO WHERE FOOD COMES FROM AND HOW TO GROW VEGETABLES. THE FARM STAFF PROVIDES HOME GARDENING ADVICE, INFORMATION ABOUT URBAN AGRICULTURE, ORGANIC FARMING METHODS AND HOW VEGETABLES ARE GROWN AT THE FARM. YORK FRESH FOOD FARMS ALSO HOSTS TOURS FOR SCHOOL GROUPS, SCOUT TROOPS, CHURCH, AFTER-SCHOOL AND SUMMER PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS.

B. MOBILE PRODUCE MARKET. THE VEGETABLES GROWN AND HARVESTED AT YORK FRESH FOOD FARMS' URBAN FARM ARE SOLD AT AFFORDABLE PRICES AT YORK FRESH FOOD FARMS' MOBILE PRODUCE MARKET, A FARMERS-MARKET-ON-WHEELS, OPERATING FROM TWO MARKET VEHICLES. WHEN FAMILIES CAN AFFORD A HEALTHY DIET, COMMUNITIES GET HEALTHIER. THE MOBILE PRODUCE MARKET OPERATES FROM JUNE TO NOVEMBER, SIX DAYS A WEEK, WITH A SET SCHEDULE OF 12 TO 15 STOPS PER WEEK IN A DIFFERENT YORK CITY NEIGHBORHOOD EACH DAY. IN 2021, 56% OF MOBILE MARKET CUSTOMERS PAID WITH SNAP OR OTHER FOOD ASSISTANCE FOR LOW INCOME PERSONS.THE 4,100+ CUSTOMERS SERVED BY THE MOBILE PRODUCE MARKET IN 2021 REPRESENT THE DIVERSITY OF THE YORK COMMUNITY. YORK FRESH FOOD FARMS IS AN AUTHORIZED VENDOR FOR SNAP/EBT, WIC AND SENIOR FARMERS MARKET NUTRITION PROGRAM CHECKS, WELLSPAN MARKET BUCKS, AND THE FOOD TRUSTS' FOOD BUCKS. SUBSIDIES FOR LOW INCOME CUSTOMERS ACCOUNTED FOR 56% OF THE 2021 MOBILE PRODUCE MARKET SALES. YORK FRESH FOOD FARMS' GOALS FOR THE MOBILE PRODUCE MARKET ARE TO BUILD A HEALTHIER YORK CITY COMMUNITY BY: INCREASING ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY PRODUCE TO UNDERSERVED, LOW INCOME FAMILIES, ADDRESSING FOOD ACCESS INEQUITIES, SPREADING THE WORD ABOUT NUTRITIOUS, GOOD TASTING FRUITS AND VEGETABLES AND EATING HEALTHY AND INCREASING THE CONSUMPTION OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES IN THE CITY OF YORK.

C. GET YOUR HANDS DIRTY. EACH SUMMER, YORK FRESH FOOD FARMS RUNS A FREE FARM-BASED LEARNING PROGRAM FOR YORK CITY KIDS CALLED GET YOUR HANDS DIRTY FOR ACTIVITIES FOCUSED ON LEARNING ABOUT PLANTS, GROWING VEGETABLES AND WHERE FOOD COMES FROM. GET YOUR HANDS DIRTY'S FARM-BASED LEARNING PROGRAM WILL GIVE PARTICIPATING CHILDREN HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE USING GARDENING, THE URBAN FARMING OPERATION AND OUTDOOR EDUCATION AS TOOLS TO TEACH KIDS IN A VARIETY OF SUBJECT AREAS. ALL SESSIONS WILL BE HELD IN AN OUTDOOR CLASSROOM AT YORK FRESH FOOD FARMS' URBAN FARM BEHIND 1195 ROOSEVELT AVENUE.