We bid fond farewells and best wishes to Marshall Hart, our Braddock Farms Manager since 2009.
“When I think about the rippling effects of our work, I’m struck by how many thousands of pounds of produce Marshall grew for the community of Braddock and the hundreds of people who were trained and inspired by his presence and leadership on the farm,” says Grow Pittsburgh Executive Director Jake Seltman.
Many see this as a two-fold loss, as Hart’s distinctively brindled dog Tinder has become a beloved fixture at the farm and farm stand, as well as our staff meetings.
Braddock Farms has grown into an example of Grow Pittsburgh’s principles in action. “I’m happy to have been a part of it. It’s harder to get worked up about policy than it is to come out to a farm and see the benefits of the policies that (Grow Pittsburgh) works on in fruition,” says Hart.
Hart has worked directly with our Urban Farm Apprenticeship and our Urban Farmers in Training programs, offering many future growers a place to learn farming skills and principles.
“Not claiming it’s a direct result, but it’s nice to be a stepping stone for others to start their own operations, like Cassandra Madden (of Natureworks Farm). This was the first farming opportunity she had and now she has a farm. I’ve had a few other people come through in similar situations. It’s awesome,” says Hart.
While Hart is moving on, he’s not moving far: he’s next door at Superior Motors, where he’ll be starting a farm from scratch to provide produce to Chef Kevin Sousa’s Superior Motors restaurant, which opened in July.