Weavers Way Farms represents the Co-op’s Ends in action: Our farm department operates working farms in Northwest Philadelphia that provide learning opportunities for our communities as well as fresh, environmentally responsible food.
At our two farm locations, Weavers Way grows more than 50 different types of vegetables and fruit on 6.5 acres, supplying our farmers market, the Weavers Way Co-op stores and the Henry Got Crops CSA with fresh produce. With roots in a volunteer-run garden, the farms now employ five full-time farmers during the growing season. Through the nonprofit Food Moxie (formerly Weavers Way Community Programs), community members and students visit the farms and get their hands dirty planting, weeding, harvesting, tasting and learning about growing healthy food.
In 2000, Norma Brooks and other co-op members established the Mort Brooks Memorial Farm in honor of Norma's husband, a longtime Weavers Way Board member. This group of volunteers evolved into the Farm Committee, which continues to support the farms. In 2007, Weavers Way hired its first farm manager to produce food for the Mt. Airy store at the Mort Brooks Farm. Since its establishment, the surrounding land has grown into Awbury Agricultural Village, home to many new farming ventures. This farm site hosts our greenhouse, where we start our seedlings.
Henry Got Crops is a collaboration of Weavers Way Co-op, Food Moxie, W.B. Saul Agricultural High School and Philadelphia Parks and Recreation.
The farm is on the grounds of Saul High School in Roxborough, on land owned by PPR on the edge of Wissahickon Park. Henry Got Crops emerged in 2009 from an existing partnership between the Co-op and the high school. Saul students are involved with every aspect of the farm, from hands-on fieldwork to newsletter writing, applied research and summer internships. The farm continues to grow — in 2012, we planted a 1.5-acre fruit and nut orchard. Another exciting part of the project, Henry Got Compost, turns manure from the Saul dairy barn and Philadelphia Zoo, vegetable waste from Bennett Compost and our Weavers Way Co-op Produce and Prep Foods departments, and coffee grounds from High Point Cafe into high-quality compost for our fields and for resale. (Email compost@weaversway.coop for info about compost deliveries.)
Henry Got Crops hosts our farm market, open to the public in season (May - Nov). It also serves as our CSA pickup.
Weavers Way Farms represents the Co-op’s Ends in action: Our farm department operates working farms in Northwest Philadelphia that provide learning opportunities for our communities as well as fresh, environmentally responsible food.
At our two farm locations, Weavers Way grows more than 50 different types of vegetables and fruit on 6.5 acres, supplying our farmers market, the Weavers Way Co-op stores and the Henry Got Crops CSA with fresh produce. With roots in a volunteer-run garden, the farms now employ five full-time farmers during the growing season. Through the nonprofit Food Moxie (formerly Weavers Way Community Programs), community members and students visit the farms and get their hands dirty planting, weeding, harvesting, tasting and learning about growing healthy food.
In 2000, Norma Brooks and other co-op members established the Mort Brooks Memorial Farm in honor of Norma's husband, a longtime Weavers Way Board member. This group of volunteers evolved into the Farm Committee, which continues to support the farms. In 2007, Weavers Way hired its first farm manager to produce food for the Mt. Airy store at the Mort Brooks Farm. Since its establishment, the surrounding land has grown into Awbury Agricultural Village, home to many new farming ventures. This farm site hosts our greenhouse, where we start our seedlings.
Henry Got Crops is a collaboration of Weavers Way Co-op, Food Moxie, W.B. Saul Agricultural High School and Philadelphia Parks and Recreation.
The farm is on the grounds of Saul High School in Roxborough, on land owned by PPR on the edge of Wissahickon Park. Henry Got Crops emerged in 2009 from an existing partnership between the Co-op and the high school. Saul students are involved with every aspect of the farm, from hands-on fieldwork to newsletter writing, applied research and summer internships. The farm continues to grow — in 2012, we planted a 1.5-acre fruit and nut orchard. Another exciting part of the project, Henry Got Compost, turns manure from the Saul dairy barn and Philadelphia Zoo, vegetable waste from Bennett Compost and our Weavers Way Co-op Produce and Prep Foods departments, and coffee grounds from High Point Cafe into high-quality compost for our fields and for resale. (Email compost@weaversway.coop for info about compost deliveries.)
Henry Got Crops hosts our farm market, open to the public in season (May - Nov). It also serves as our CSA pickup.
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a method of food distribution that links customers directly to the farmer. Customers pay upfront to purchase a “share” of the farm before the growing season starts, providing farmers with cash to pay for seeds and supplies and guaranteeing a market for the produce.
But Henry Got Crops is more than just a CSA — we grow food for the community while also providing educational opportunities for Saul High School students. Located on the campus of the W.B. Saul High School for Agricultural Sciences, the farm is managed by Weavers Way staff in collaboration with Saul students and teachers. The nonprofit Food Moxie (formerly Weavers Way Community Programs) provides farm education curriculum and hands-on farming experience, teaching students about small-scale, sustainable vegetable production and distribution.
By buying a share in the Henry Got Crops CSA, you are supporting agricultural education while sharing the risks and benefits of small-scale, local agriculture.
During the season, shareholders come to the farm once a week to collect their share of that week’s harvest. They gain an understanding of seasonality and an appreciation for a wide range of vegetables.
Buying a CSA share and being a Weavers Way Co-op member are separate but related. You do not need to be a member of Weavers Way to be a CSA shareholder, but both memberships offer a working discount, and your CSA work hours can count toward fulfilling your Weavers Way Co-op working member hours.
How do I get my share? We offer pickup times at the farm twice a week — Tuesday from 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., Friday from 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. We do not offer delivery; we wouldn’t want you to miss out on a weekly visit to the farm!
We will have the vegetables ready for you, laid out on a table, like at a farmers market. A chalkboard will explain how much of each vegetable to take. Shareholders provide their own bags and containers. There will always be a CSA shareholder on duty to help you with your pickup.
How big will a share be? Shares come in two sizes. A small share generally consists of 5-6 units of vegetables and is recommended for two people. A large share consists of the same vegetables but is twice as large (10-12 units) and is recommended for four people. A unit is similar to what you would typically buy at a grocery store — for instance, one unit could be a bunch of carrots or a head of lettuce.
I’m a Weavers Way member. Does my discount count towards my share? If you are a current working member, you can choose the working member discount when you purchase your CSA share. Your household’s work hours apply to the farm as well, so if you have hours to work, you can always sign up for shifts at the farm.
I go on vacation in the summer. What do I do if I will miss my pickup day? You are always welcome to send a friend or family member to get your share. Please be sure to give your replacement a quick rundown of what to expect (where to park, when to arrive, how to sign in, what to bring, etc.). All CSA members are welcome to follow us on Facebook, and you can use that page to see if another member will switch pickup days with you. Or you can request that we donate your share, and it will be sent home with a happy Saul High School student.
I’ve heard people get weird produce in CSAs like rutabagas and dandelion greens. What if I don’t like what’s in my share? That’s part of the fun! We send out a weekly newsletter letting you know what will be in your share, complete with recipes. We also host workshops on canning so you can save the abundance of tomatoes for winter. If you still don’t want your rutabagas, we offer a swap box at the end of the pickup table where you can trade an item, one-for-one.
Because we distribute everything we harvest, we cannot let shareholders substitute their favorite items for ones they like less from the bins on the pickup table. We calculate how many carrots you can take by dividing the total number of carrots that we have by the total number of shareholders. So, if someone takes extra carrots, someone else will get less.
Please explain the You-Pick crops. We have a weekly list of crops that you can pick yourself, when available. Pick-your-own crops fulfill several functions. First, they’re fun! We want to encourage you to check out the fields, meet other CSA members and experience the harvest for yourself.
I signed up for the 5%-off working share. How can I fulfill my four-hour work commitment? (If you signed up for a working share extraordinaire or are a Weavers Way or Saul staff member or student, you do not need to fulfill these four hours.)
You can sign up for a work shift on our online work calendar with your shareholder number at members.weaversway.coop.
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a method of food distribution that links customers directly to the farmer. Customers pay upfront to purchase a “share” of the farm before the growing season starts, providing farmers with cash to pay for seeds and supplies and guaranteeing a market for the produce.
But Henry Got Crops is more than just a CSA — we grow food for the community while also providing educational opportunities for Saul High School students. Located on the campus of the W.B. Saul High School for Agricultural Sciences, the farm is managed by Weavers Way staff in collaboration with Saul students and teachers. The nonprofit Food Moxie (formerly Weavers Way Community Programs) provides farm education curriculum and hands-on farming experience, teaching students about small-scale, sustainable vegetable production and distribution.
By buying a share in the Henry Got Crops CSA, you are supporting agricultural education while sharing the risks and benefits of small-scale, local agriculture.
During the season, shareholders come to the farm once a week to collect their share of that week’s harvest. They gain an understanding of seasonality and an appreciation for a wide range of vegetables.
Buying a CSA share and being a Weavers Way Co-op member are separate but related. You do not need to be a member of Weavers Way to be a CSA shareholder, but both memberships offer a working discount, and your CSA work hours can count toward fulfilling your Weavers Way Co-op working member hours.
How do I get my share? We offer pickup times at the farm twice a week — Tuesday from 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., Friday from 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. We do not offer delivery; we wouldn’t want you to miss out on a weekly visit to the farm!
We will have the vegetables ready for you, laid out on a table, like at a farmers market. A chalkboard will explain how much of each vegetable to take. Shareholders provide their own bags and containers. There will always be a CSA shareholder on duty to help you with your pickup.
How big will a share be? Shares come in two sizes. A small share generally consists of 5-6 units of vegetables and is recommended for two people. A large share consists of the same vegetables but is twice as large (10-12 units) and is recommended for four people. A unit is similar to what you would typically buy at a grocery store — for instance, one unit could be a bunch of carrots or a head of lettuce.
I’m a Weavers Way member. Does my discount count towards my share? If you are a current working member, you can choose the working member discount when you purchase your CSA share. Your household’s work hours apply to the farm as well, so if you have hours to work, you can always sign up for shifts at the farm.
I go on vacation in the summer. What do I do if I will miss my pickup day? You are always welcome to send a friend or family member to get your share. Please be sure to give your replacement a quick rundown of what to expect (where to park, when to arrive, how to sign in, what to bring, etc.). All CSA members are welcome to follow us on Facebook, and you can use that page to see if another member will switch pickup days with you. Or you can request that we donate your share, and it will be sent home with a happy Saul High School student.
I’ve heard people get weird produce in CSAs like rutabagas and dandelion greens. What if I don’t like what’s in my share? That’s part of the fun! We send out a weekly newsletter letting you know what will be in your share, complete with recipes. We also host workshops on canning so you can save the abundance of tomatoes for winter. If you still don’t want your rutabagas, we offer a swap box at the end of the pickup table where you can trade an item, one-for-one.
Because we distribute everything we harvest, we cannot let shareholders substitute their favorite items for ones they like less from the bins on the pickup table. We calculate how many carrots you can take by dividing the total number of carrots that we have by the total number of shareholders. So, if someone takes extra carrots, someone else will get less.
Please explain the You-Pick crops. We have a weekly list of crops that you can pick yourself, when available. Pick-your-own crops fulfill several functions. First, they’re fun! We want to encourage you to check out the fields, meet other CSA members and experience the harvest for yourself.
I signed up for the 5%-off working share. How can I fulfill my four-hour work commitment? (If you signed up for a working share extraordinaire or are a Weavers Way or Saul staff member or student, you do not need to fulfill these four hours.)
You can sign up for a work shift on our online work calendar with your shareholder number at members.weaversway.coop.
