Farm donates over 200 pounds of fresh produce to Opportunity House
Alvernia student-led Bog Turtle Creek Farm in Mohnton, PA, provides access to affordably priced fresh produce for families in Reading, including those on government programs such as WIC and SNAP. The farm is also used as a tool to teach the community about sustainable agriculture.
“The goal is to be able to sell our fresh produce at affordable prices to those who may not get produce otherwise,” said Bog Turtle student-farmer Elizabeth D’Lauro. After market days, the farm donates remaining produce to nonprofit organizations in the city, like Opportunity House.
Capping off its fifth year, the Bog Turtle Creek Farm program is designed to make healthy, fresh produce available to families in the City of Reading, including those who utilize government programs such as WIC and SNAP to purchase their food. Some of the most disadvantaged people in Reading benefit from Bog Turtle Creek Farm’s sales and donations, which included beets, cabbage, collard greens, kale, squash, tomatoes and tomatillos.
“Thanks to the farm, our residents got to enjoy fresh local food, which was clearly grown and donated with love,” said Opportunity House volunteer coordinator Julia VanTine.
Bog Turtle Creek Farm also serves as an education tool for hundreds of people during the summer to teach children and adults about sustainable agriculture as well as career paths in the field.
