When you think of North Philadelphia, the thought of gardening does not usually come to mind, but Temple students are trying to change that.
On the corner of Broad and Diamond Street, Temple students have utilized green space to create a space for gardening and have appropriately named it, The Community Garden. The Community Garden allows students and the members of the community to grow fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers in an urban setting.
The garden also provides a roll of gardening education. As Garden Manager, Nina Taylor explains, “Everyone should learn how to grow their own food and everyone should know how to take care of themselves.”
The community garden will also be home to a 100 percent sustainable building which members have given the name the tiny house, and although it’s tiny, members say it will have a big impact on the community once it is completed.
“The tiny house project is a gift from the office of sustainability they partnered with architecture students, and landscape design students to build a zero impact house,” Taylor says.
The house has solar panels, a green roof, cork siding and a floor made out recycled roofing slates. The Tiny House will serve as an example for 100 percent sustainable living as well as being a home for different types of community outreach and programing.
“The community garden is growing food but making that relationship to how do you grow food than how do you prepare it and this space gives them a place to provide that type of programing”, says Katherine Elmhurst, Program Manager of the Office of Sustainability
Elmhurst hopes that the Tiny House will be complete by mid-November and both she and Taylor express that anyone is welcome to come and volunteer or take a tour of the Tiny House.
For more information on the Community Garden, click here.
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