Trellis for Tomorrow has been awarded an $18,100 Ag and Youth Grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture to expand youth-led agricultural programming in Chester and Montgomery counties.
The funding will support the expansion of a long-standing youth-led community garden in an affordable housing community in Spring City, a dump trailer for transporting compost and soil, as well as the construction of a chicken coop at Trellis for Tomorrow’s Agricultural Learning Center at Lundale Farm in Pottstown.
Trellis for Tomorrow’s SEED Skills program provides paid work experiences for more than 70 young people each year, combining hands-on agricultural training with leadership and workforce development. Growing interest in the Spring City garden from both youth and community members has outpaced the current space, prompting the need for expansion. Youth participants will be involved in every phase of the project, from planning through construction.
The expanded garden will also strengthen community access to fresh produce, including through an on-site produce stand supported by previous Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture funding. The new chicken coop at Lundale Farm will introduce youth to animal husbandry and broaden their understanding of agriculture beyond garden production.
You can read more about the grant in the PA Department of Agriculture’s press release.
