The Community Agriculture Network supports community gardens and other urban agriculture projects located on parkland within Philadelphia. There are over 800 residents at 19 garden sites, 4 urban farms, 3 school farms, and 3 food forests that grow food, conduct community-led programming, and provide recreational gardening for neighborhoods across the City’s parkland. Over 25,000 pounds of food is grown each year at the gardens, of which more than 3,000 lbs of food was donated in 2022. The produce supports families and neighbors through farm stands, farmers markets and food donations. Farm Philly provides the network with resources including land, compost, mulch, and technical assistance. Farm Philly encourages autonomy at our community garden sites, and therefore Farm Philly cannot make plot determinations or respond to inquiries about open plots at specific gardens.
In 2014 Farm Philly began to survey Parks and Rec staff to identify all food producing plots on parkland. As gardens were located, Farm Philly went out to confirm a garden was tended there and began to build relationships with those stewarding the sites. The Community Gardens Network was created as a way to resource and support these gardens. In 2018 the Community Gardens Network joined the Stewardship program as a part of the Parks Friends Network (PFN). By joining Stewardship the gardens gained access to more resources and opportunities including event permitting support, participation in Love Your Park events, ability to attend PFN conferences & workshops, and eligibility to apply for small grants through the Fairmount Park Conservancy. In 2024, we changed the name to Community Agriculture Network to reflect the variety of projects taking place on park land.
To find & contact a community garden on parkland near you, view the map below. Email us at FarmPhilly@phila.gov with questions
*Shows gardens registered with Parks & Rec.