Villa Maria Farm 

While this project is just in its feasibility study phase under its partner agency The Alliance for Nonprofit Resources, Community Partnership is exploring a long-term relationship with the Sisters of the Humility of Mary in Lawrence County, with the intent of preserving and developing the Villa Maria Farm. If this project moves into implementation, the Villa Maria Farm would expand its support of charitable food programs, increase its agricultural education programming, and offer innovation and entrepreneurship programming and infrastructure for food and farm-based businesses in Western Pennsylvania.

CP has been awarded a H.R. 133 Specialty Crop Block Grant. Under this grant, we will work with Penn State Extension's horticulture team to provide specialty crop education to beginning and established fruit and vegetable growers in Western Pennsylvania. Growers (three cohorts of ten over the next three years) will participate in a series of 16 workshops covering soil health, pollinators, and greenhouse growing with a focus on brassicas (broccoli/cauliflower/cabbage) and tomatoes/peppers.

This Grant will include the installation of four demonstration gardens at Villa Maria over the next four years. CP is currently looking for local farmers in Butler, Beaver, Lawrence and Mercer counties to participate in the cohort, but growers outside of these counties will be considered if space is available.

UPDATE!! We are currently enrolling for the final Grower’s cohort, which will be offered virtually via Zoom starting in April. Sessions will include soil testing, soil analysis, macro and micro nutrients, transplant production and direct seeding, integrated pest management, organic fungicides and insecticides, and specialized sessions on cut flowers, greens, tomatoes, pumpkins, winter squashes, and cover crops. If you are interested in signing up for the class, you can sign-up using Eventbrite here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/seeding-the-future-of-ag-specialty-crop-grower-education-series-tickets-824745194077.