Grow Pittsburgh has seen an increase in demand for locally grown food over the past year, according to Executive Director Denel Hughson. His organization sold more than 20,000 plants in 2020, a new record for the group.
“The pandemic… has really highlighted the struggles that our local food system and the food system in general are seeing,” said Hughson.
Grow Pittsburgh fought these struggles by growing staple crops on their farms, located mostly in communities of color, and donating approximately 3,000 pounds of produce to local food banks. The organization has also increased food production and delivery, extended the hours of its stand and opened a new store at Braddock Farms.
These efforts contribute to the organization’s mission to teach people how to grow their own food and to increase access to fresh, locally grown food.
“I always say: urban farming, it can range from growing a tomato in your backyard to a big one acre farm,” Hughson said.
The long-term struggles of urban agriculture in Pittsburgh remain. In addition to contaminated soil from the city’s industrial past, Hughson cited development pressures. Grow Pittsburgh has partnered with the Allegheny Land Trust to found the Three Rivers Agricultural Land Initiative, which will secure and protect green spaces for years to come.
Pennsylvania Fresh Food Fundraising Initiative Awarded over $ 1.2 million in grants to Allegheny County in 2020. As part of the COVID-19 Relief Fund, the awards have supported local farms, markets and cooperatives.