Hilltop Urban Farm – Located on 107 acres of land – with 23 acres dedicated to farming – it is a multi-pronged initiative that produces locally-grown crops, provides agriculture-based education, generates entrepreneurial opportunities, and strengthens communities. John Bixler, Executive Director of Hilltop Urban Farm is set to transform the land it currently occupies. Given its size, scope and reach, it will ultimately become the largest urban farm in the United States and serve as a resource for urban farming initiatives.
Central to our mission are three core programs: youth-centered education; a workforce training program for new adult urban farmers; and an active, accessible farmers’ market. Learn more about the direction of each core program, and how Hilltop Urban Farm acts as a dynamic asset for local communities.
OUR MISSION To create and sustain a new, regional asset in south Pittsburgh’s Hilltop community, that is committed to growing food, growing farmers and growing a community. Hilltop Urban Farm will benefit its neighbors by being a catalyst for community pride and reinvestment.
OUR VISION With the tools, education and funding needed to successfully operate, Hilltop Urban Farm will provide entrepreneurial opportunities for farmers; teach children about farming; and offer easy access to healthy, locally-grown food for the community. Hilltop Urban Farm will serve as a national model for leveraging urban agriculture planning and programming to achieve a broad spectrum of community development goals.
FARMER INCUBATION PROGRAM, THE VISION
The Farmer Incubation Program (FIP) at Hilltop Urban Farm is a 3 year workforce development program for new small-scale organic urban farm enterprises. For an annual Program Participation Fee, participants are provided access to rehabilitated urban farming acres, storage, solar electric, hoop houses, mobile coolers and a shared tool library. Participants will learn farm business management skills and food growing techniques. Program participants will gain exposure to the local and regional food systems by participating in educational programs and networking events. The FIP graduates will develop a business plan, customer base, and have a 3 year-old business to assist with acquiring capital for business expansion. The FIP graduates will be prequalified to rent preserved farmland with nonprofit partners and the Urban Redevelopment Authority of the City of Pittsburgh vacant urban land through the Farm-A-Lot program. Once under full production, FIP farmers at Hilltop Urban Farm will quadruple the amount of produce grown within the City of Pittsburgh.
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ABOUT THE YOUTH FARM PROGRAM
Serving as a vehicle for youth education and development, the Youth Farm at Hilltop Urban Farm engages school-aged children from the Hilltop communities with food production and teamwork. Partnering with the Pittsburgh Arlington School, Lighthouse Cathedral, and the New Academy Charter School, the Youth Farm acts as a living agricultural and ecological laboratory for children. It promotes the teaching of Nutrition & Cooking, Growing Food, Local Food Systems, Agriculture as a Career Pathway, and Ecology of Western Pennsylvania through the lens of urban farming with the support of program partners Penn State Extension, Allegheny Land Trust Education Department, Power Up, and Grow Pittsburgh.
All elements of the Youth Farm are visually appealing, colorful, child-friendly and scaled to size. Children can expect to learn, play and interact among raised bed growing areas, youth gardens, a youth orchard and a youth food forest.John can be reached at 412.586.5707 or via email at john@hilltopurbarfarm.org.