The Novick Family Urban Farm offers hands on field trip opportunities for our childcare and school partners. The urban farm is the perfect place for sensory learning and trying new vegetables in an exciting way. Children utilize all of their senses as they explore the various textures, scents and tastes that our herbs and produce have to offer. Our raised planting beds give children the opportunity to practice their fine and gross motor skills as they dig, plant and water their own crops. Children also learn about basic nutritional concepts, plant lifecycles, pollinators and much more. Through our relationship with Einstein Health Network, we utilize FUN A-Z methods to keep children engaged in the learning process. This hands on experience gets children excited to try new healthy foods that they take with them back to the classroom. We are proud to have reached over 3000 children in the last 2 years with these opportunities.
Novick Brothers has partnered with a variety of organizations to bring the farm to life. The farm supports adult and teen programming for the Burmese refugee community in South Philadelphia. Participants reconnect with their farming traditions and grow culturally appropriate varieties. Harvest from the farm is sold at our affordable farm stand, run by our teen program participants, or donated to the community and food pantries. The farm is also support by the City Harvest Program, a project of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. We have also collaborated with: SEAMAAC | Grow Philly | Philabundance | Sixers Youth Foundation| United Communities
The Novick Family Urban Farm was founded in 2012 by Gary Novick. Novick Brothers had a vision to transform the unused and rare open land that surrounds the Novick Brothers Headquarters, into a thriving educational urban farm. It started out small, just to see if it was possible. Over the next few years, the farm partnered with different organizations that added more and more. In 2016, Adam Forbes took over as Farm Manager with Gary's retirement and elevated the program to the next level. Today, the farm educational program reaches over 3000 children and produces over 20,000 lbs of fresh organic produce for the South Philadelphia community each year.
Mission
The Novick Family Urban Farm is Novick Brothers non-profit educational farm program that is dedicated to promoting healthy choices, nutrition, sustainability and community engagement. By providing hands on learning opportunities to local Childcare programs, we are able to educate children at their youngest on healthy eating and nutrition, promoting long term healthy choices. We are also focused on building community relationships, not only through the organic produce we donate, but through the outreach programs we partner in.
