As we head into fall, two of the themes that run through our Food Moxie curriculum are harvest and gratitude. This month, we wish to express gratitude to a number of people for their contributions to our work. Although we were unable to host our Seed to Supper annual dinner event this year, we are still honoring the contributions of three people who have contributed substantially to the organization. We will be hosting a staggered Urban Farm Bike Ride on Saturday, Oct. 17 (rain date Saturday, Oct. 24) for everyone who is interested in getting to some growing spaces with us. You can find updated information on our website for that.

Our 2020 Seed to Supper Honorees:

Margaret Guthrie has been a long-time volunteer for Food Moxie; she is also an active participant in Dining for Women. Margaret is best known to our staff, program participants and volunteers for her contributions to the flowers and herbs that border our Stenton Family Manor growing space. She can be seen weekly helping weed, plant and otherwise tend the spaces. Margaret has also brought joy to our programs through her extensive horticulture knowledge, which she shares regularly with staff and learners.

Eldredge Ragsdale is the president of the Awbury Arboretum Community Garden. He has been actively involved in leadership in the garden for many decades. Eldredge has served as a mentor for many young people and adults involved in sustainable agriculture work in Northwest Philadelphia and has been donating produce to emergency food providers near the garden for over a decade, as well as sharing his bounty with the community. We are grateful for the leadership, knowledge and engagement he has shared at our Awbury growing space over the years.

Joseph Gifford has been a Food Moxie partner at our Martin Luther King High School growing space for many years. He retired this spring as a life skills teacher after many decades of service. We have enjoyed Joseph’s generosity and enthusiasm in working with our staff to share the MLK growing space and seasonal food tastings with his life skills students. We will miss him, but wish him well in his retirement.

We are grateful to everyone else who has supported our efforts this year, including those helping deliver food and plants through cooperator shifts; Co-op staff; Food Moxie staff and board, and our many individual and foundation and corporate donors. With your help, from seed to supper we continue to educate and inspire people to grow, cook, taste and eat healthy foods.

Eldredge Ragsdale (right) at Comcast Cares Day.

Joseph Gifford shaking hands with an Eagles player at orchard planting last year.

Joseph Gifford with his life skills students during the orchard planting with Food Moxie and the Philadelphia Eagles.