At Norristown Farm Park, Justin Trezza of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) oversees a community farm that has quickly become a model for how agriculture can improve health and wellness in Montgomery County. Spread across three acres, the farm grows everything from spinach and squash to peaches and pears, with a mission rooted in feeding and supporting local residents.
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The project launched in 2020 using COVID-19 relief funds. Montgomery County invited PHS to bring a community garden to Montco. “They saw what we were doing with urban agriculture in Philadelphia and wanted us to bring our expertise to the county,” Trezza told American Community Journals.
What started as a straightforward community farm soon evolved into a broader “food is medicine” program. The initiative now pairs fresh produce with nutritional education and horticultural therapy.
Today, the farm partners with Creative Health Services in Pottstown and Central Behavioral Health in Norristown. Both behavioral health clinics work with patients in intensive outpatient programs. Between 70 and 80 participants receive biweekly vegetable boxes. Partnerships with nonprofits like CCATE in Norristown ensure culturally relevant crops such as tomatillos and chayote reach local Latin families. In 2024 alone, the farm distributed more than 21,000 pounds of food, all free of charge.
“Nothing we grow here is sold,” Trezza said. “Everything goes back into the community.”
The farm also maintains a thriving community garden with more than 50 raised beds, where residents and partner organizations grow their own produce. School groups visit regularly for hands-on lessons in sustainable farming, herbalism, and pollinator protection.
A dedicated staff, supported by more than 20 weekly volunteers, makes it all possible. Volunteers handle everything from harvesting and washing to preparing the walk-in coolers for distribution.
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“A lot of volunteers come here every week. Sometimes every week,” Trezza said. “They really are instrumental to the operation of the farm.”
Still, sustaining the farm requires ongoing support. With American Rescue Plan funding set to expire, PHS is seeking new donors and corporate sponsors to ensure the program continues to flourish.
Residents interested in helping can volunteer on designated work-and-learn days or donate through the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society.
