By Christopher Millette
July 24, 2019

The visit by state Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding was part of Urban Agriculture Week activities in Pennsylvania

State and local officials toured urban gardens in Erie Wednesday as part of Urban Agriculture Week activities in Pennsylvania.

At the first stop, the student-maintained garden at Perry Elementary School, 955 W. 29th St., Erie, about 20 representatives from the Erie School District, Erie County government, local businesses and the state Department of Agriculture held a roundtable discussion about the effectiveness of the district’s urban gardens program, and urban gardening across the state in general.

Other planned tour stops included French Street Farms, at the corner of French and East 22nd streets, and the community garden run by the Sisters of St. Joseph Neighborhood Network, 425 W. 18th Street.

Russell Redding, state Secretary of Agriculture, began the tour at Perry Elementary School and noted the connection between locally-sourced food and economic development.

“It’s just important to celebrate what’s in Pennsylvania,” said Redding, who is touring urban agriculture sites across the state this week. “And a big part of that is our urban centers and what happens around food and agriculture.”

Redding also reminded roundtable participants about the state’s Urban Agriculture Infrastructure Grant program, which provides $500,000 in reimbursement grants to qualified applicants. The grants, which are part of the 2019 Pennsylvania Farm Bill, are meant to improve urban agriculture gardens and programs across the state.

Beginning Aug. 1, information about applying for the grant will be available on the state Department of Community and Economic Development website. The application deadline for the UAIG is Sept. 15.

Like all 15 of the Erie School District’s gardens, the Perry Elementary site is maintained by students. The 1,500 square-foot garden at Perry produces vegetables, herbs and flowers. Much of the produce goes home with Perry students, said Stephanie Ciner, an AmeriCorps Vista service member who helps maintain the district’s gardens. Ciner also said some of the gardens products are donated to the Emmaus Food Pantry on Erie’s east side.

One of the roundtable participants at Perry is taking an active part in the success of the garden.

Amanda Karns, 34, is a neighbor and works as a special projects coordinator at Harborcreek Youth Services in Harborcreek Township. She is coordinating a project with HYS clients, who are building and donating to the garden a set of rain barrel platforms.

Karns, who walked her daughter Charlie Karns, 1, around the garden during the discussion, is glad to be a part of the school’s garden program. “We’re really excited that this is here,” she said.

Christopher Millette can be reached at 870-1712 or by email. Follow him on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/ETNMillette.

All photos by: CHRISTOPHER MILLETTE/ERIE TIMES-NEWS