GARDEN DREAMS
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Garden Dreams Urban Farm & Nursery
Garden Dreams is a labor of love that has been "in the works" since 1999. The site is located on two vacant lots in Wilkinsburg, a small Borough on the eastern edge of the city of Pittsburgh. Mindy Schwartz and Barbara Nicholas purchased the first lot after the previous owner demolished a derelict house in response to Mindy's requests. Another derelict house was torn down later. Disuse and decay has given way to a lush 1/4 acre market garden.
As the garden grew, so did a new business, operated by Mindy, called Garden Dreams, Inc. This business catered to the needs of backyard gardening enthusiasts. Garden dreams soon became known as the source for organic heirloom tomato starts, marketing dozens of seedling varieties productive of great varieties of color, flavor and size. As time went on and the harvests increased, Garden Dreams began selling produce at market and to cafes in the East End. The little garden, using intensive growing methods, produced big quantities of greens, beets and carrots as well as tomatoes.
People from the neighborhood and around the city were drawn to and inspired by the urban oasis Mindy created. Ultimately, the energy the site attracted helped to create the partnership that is now Grow Pittsburgh. Garden Dreams functions as the organization's model for both backyard gardening as well as intensive small scale market gardening and urban soil reclamation and regeneration.
Our hopes for the continued development of this site are expansive. Our current garden dreams include farm expansion, a neighborhood produce stand, a heated production greenhouse, a passive solar high tunnel and the renovation of a large Victorian structure that will serve as Grow Pittsburgh's headquarters and include a smithy, wood shop, retail space, intern housing, and a kitchen for value added processing.
More about Wilkinsburg
The Borough of Wilkinsburg was established in the late 1800's and covers approximately 2.3 square miles with a declining population that recently fell below 20,000 residents. Median household income is approximately $27,000. Roughly 15% of Wilkinsburg's housing stock is vacant. The US average for families and individuals living below the poverty level is 9% and 12% respectively. Wilkinsburg's statistics are significantly higher with 16% of families and 19% of individuals living below the poverty level.
- Median house value is below the state average
- Renting percentage is above the state average
- House age is significantly above the state average
- Population density is above the state average for cities
- US Census Bureau Statistics on Wilkinsburg