Community Partnership Brings Organic Farming and Produce to Phoebe Ministries

A new organic farm effort is beginning to bear fruit at Phoebe Ministries, based in Allentown, Pa., the result of an exciting partnership between the Rodale Institute and Phoebe Ministries. Located at Rodale’s Founder’s Farm off Minesite Road in Allentown, Pa., Phoebe Organic Farm will provide fresh, organic produce for use in resident meals at Phoebe’s Chestnut Ridge at Rodale.

Founded by J. I. Rodale in 1947, Rodale Institute is a nonprofit organization that supports research into organic farming. The institute currently is located in Kutztown, Pa.

Phoebe Organic Farm is both interactive and educational, offering Chestnut Ridge the freshest possible ingredients to boost flavor and nutritional value. Residents interested in getting their hands dirty with gardening participate, and educational opportunities make the program open to all residents, regardless of gardening experience.

Since March, residents have been showing up at Rodale for “seeding events” to plant the farm’s first seeds. But on Friday, April 25, residents took the next step, transplanting the newly rooted tomato varieties into larger pots. Eventually, the plants will live in the new greenhouse at Phoebe Organic Farm, which currently is under construction. 

During the session, residents filled trays with soil, created new labels, and dug small pockets where the rapidly growing tomatoes would be transferred.

Phoebe Organic Farm Manager Jennifer Smith, known as Farmer Jenni, led residents through the process, sharing her extensive farming knowledge. She asked residents about their personal gardening experiences and answered any questions they had.

One thing that stood out to those in attendance was how much the greenhouse had grown in so little time. From the first seeding event March 7 to the April transplanting event, the greenhouse has seen a massive increase in the volume of plants. Trays upon trays of crops covered every inch of every free table, many of which are scheduled for transport to Phoebe Organic Farm.

Working at the farm has been an overwhelmingly positive activity, with many residents returning multiple times.

Teaching the residents has been “so fulfilling,” says Farmer Jenni. “It makes my heart feel so full. This is exactly where I should be.”

Phoebe and Rodale are working together to plan more opportunities for residents to get their hands dirty and learn about growing food and other plants.

Any excess produce from the farm is sold in Chestnut Ridge’s Marketplace. The farm’s future goals include expanding to 10 acres of land, forming a public-facing farmer’s market, introducing a chicken coop for egg production, and expanding food crop delivery to other Phoebe campuses. The new venture is expected to bring lasting benefits to the community, deepen Phoebe’s commitment to local food sourcing, and improve the quality of life for residents. Above all, it fosters a deeper relationship with the planet and the food one consumes.

Dominic Trabosci contributed to this story.