January 19, 2012

Locally Grown

Urban Farming is the topic of the timely documentary film, Urban Roots, which explores the urban farming phenomenon in Detroit, Michigan. Food grown locally in community gardens and urban farms is starting to make a positive impact for families faced with food challenge issues in Philadelphia. We will host the Philadelphia theatrical premiere of Urban Roots on Tuesday, February 7th at 7:30 PM in the Bossone Research Center (3140 Market St.). After the screening, members of Philadelphia’s urban farming community and the film’s director, Mark MacInnis, will focus on Philadelphia urban farming and how to get involved.

Prior to Urban Roots, we’ll screen Film & Video alum's, Clay Hereth’s documentary short, West Philly Grown, at 6:30 PM. Clay’s film tells the story of the Mill Creek Farm, an urban farm at 49th & Brown Streets in West Philadelphia, that grows a variety of organic vegetables, herbs, and fruits in addition to providing educational programs on urban farming. The event is $5 for the general public and free with a Drexel ID, for more information call 215-895-1029 or visit www.drexel.edu/westphal. Our partners in presenting this event are Drexel Green, The Office of University & Community Partnership, and the Westphal programs and departments of Film & Video, Architecture & Interiors, and Media Arts.

Consider arriving early as the lobby will have a variety of tables providing information on Philadelphia’s urban farming movement.  Tables in the lobby include: The Philadelphia Mayor’s Office of Sustainability, GRID Magazine, several of Philadelphia’s Urban Farms, The South Philadelphia Food-Coop, Drexel Urban Growers student group, The Academy of Natural Sciences’ Center for Environmental Policy, The Enterprise Center’s Community Development Corporation, Urban Tree Connection and Transition Philadelphia.

Panelists include:

• Phil Forsyth: Orchard Director, Philadelphia Orchard Project
• Ryan Kuck: Co-Founder, Preston’s Paradise and Farm Manager, Greensgrow
• Chris Bolden-Newsome: Farmer Educator, Bartram’s Gardens
• Mark MacInnis: Director, Urban Roots
• Dan Pohlig: Communications Chair, South Philly Food Co-op
• Johanna Rosen: Co-Founder/Co-Director, West Philadelphia’s Mill Creek Farm
• Sarah Wu: The Philadelphia Mayor’s Office of Sustainability
• Dr. Eugenia Victoria Ellis: Drexel professor and co-director of the Drexel Engineering Cities Initiative, moderator