About the Farm
“We are a neighborhood resource that grows food, grows farmers, and grows community in the Hilltop neighborhoods.”
“We envision urban neighborhoods where fresh, abundant, healthy food sustains community.”
Hilltop Urban Farm is a nonprofit, community-centered farm in Pittsburgh’s Hilltop community. Located on 107 acres of land – with 23 acres dedicated to farming – it is a multi-pronged initiative that produces locally-grown crops, provides agriculture-based education, generates entrepreneurial opportunities, and strengthens communities. Hilltop Urban Farm is set to transform the land it currently occupies. Given its size, scope and reach, it will ultimately become the largest urban farm in the United States and serve as a resource for urban farming initiatives.
WHAT IS AN URBAN FARM?
Urban farming, or urban agriculture, is the practice of farming in or around a city, village or town. Adopted by cities across the United States and throughout the globe, urban farming can take the form of backyard, rooftop and balcony gardening, as well as community gardening in vacant lots and parks. Source. While location and output varies from farm to farm, all urban farms share a common thread: the active engagement of local communities with the production of locally-grown food.
CURRENT PROGRAMS
Central to our mission are two core programs: youth-centered education and a workforce training program for new adult urban farmers. Learn more about the direction of each core program, and how Hilltop Urban Farm will ultimately act as a dynamic asset for local communities by visiting the “Our Programs” page.
Bernie Lamm and Michael Sands inspect the land during the Master Plan process.
A community tour at the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony in August 2017.
A DECO Resources team member constructing the mobile cooler trailer in winter 2019.
Elected officials at the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony in August 2017.
Project History
Reinvestment in community is our guiding principle. In 2013, Hilltop Alliance worked closely with community-based member organizations, the Mt. Oliver – St. Clair Community Group, to ensure that the ideation and planning of Hilltop Urban Farm aligned with the goals of the St. Clair and Mt. Oliver communities. Over the last seven years, Hilltop Alliance and Hilltop Urban Farm have continued to work closely with members of the community, ensuring that they are given the resources and information to envision the benefits of reinvestment. As Hilltop Urban Farm continues in its development phase, community reinvestment remains at our core. Our ultimate goal for Hilltop Urban Farm is that it will serve as a dynamic resource for the community that surrounds the site.
Timeline of Development
FEASIBILITY STUDY, 2013 TO 2014
Hilltop Alliance worked with Mt Oliver City/St Clair Community Group, Penn State Extension and Grow Pittsburgh to complete a community-based Feasibility Study of the vacant Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh property. The outcome of this study was the framework for Hilltop Urban Farm, driven by community input and insight.
SITE MASTER PLAN, MAY 2015 TO OCTOBER 2015
OPERATIONS PLAN, MAY 2015 TO OCTOBER 2015
SOIL REBUILDING REPORT, MAY 2015 TO OCTOBER 2015
Throughout 2015, the Hilltop Alliance, and former Executive Director of Hilltop Urban Farm, Sarah Baxendell, completed the technical design phase for the Hilltop Urban Farm that informed the implementation of site development.
TREE INVENTORY REPORT, SPRING 2016
This report, completed by Baxendell and the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, maps the existing trees on the site, their condition, and makes recommendations for future tree plantings and tree maintenance at Hilltop Urban Farm.
SOIL REBUILDING IMPLEMENTATION, JULY 2017 TO SEPTEMBER 2018
Hilltop Alliance worked with Beltzhoover-based general contractor, Go Supreme, to till up existing grasses, spread 576 cubic yards of organic mushroom compost, and plant three seasons of organic cover crops. In September 2018, Hilltop Urban Farm switched to a no-till perennial cover crop.
RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY, AUGUST 2017
Elected officials and community members celebrated the first phase of the Hilltop Urban Farm implementation, the rebuilding of urban soils for farming enterprises.
MONTHLY VOLUNTEER WORK DAYS, SEPTEMBER TO OCTOBER 2017
Hilltop Urban Farm began its first monthly volunteer work days, which attracted 93 volunteer participants.
YOUTH FARM BUILD-OUT, MARCH 2018 TO APRIL 2019
Hilltop Urban Farm partnered with general contractor, Go Supreme, to install a water line, deer fencing, shipping container and raised beds at the Youth Farm. Hilltop Urban Farm partnered with Allentown-based DECO Resources to build a mobile cooler trailer and install a solar panel array on the shipping container at the Youth Farm.
YOUTH FARM ORCHARD PLANTING, MAY 2018
Hilltop Urban Farm partnered with The Fruit Tree Planting Foundation to establish the Youth Farm Orchard through a community-based planting of 47 fruit trees. The American Chestnut Planting Foundation later added 20 restoration chestnut trees to the Youth Farm Orchard.
MONTHLY VOLUNTEER WORK DAYS, APRIL 2018 TO NOVEMBER 2018
Hilltop Urban Farm hosted 13 volunteer events in 2018, with over 250 volunteer participants.
HILLTOP URBAN FARM BEGINS TO TRANSITION INTO AN INDEPENDENT NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION, JULY 2018 TO JUNE 2019
Hilltop Urban Farm began the process of becoming an independent nonprofit organization in July 2018 with the establishment of the initial Board of Directors and submission of the IRS application for nonprofit status. Hilltop Alliance and Hilltop Urban Farm share an office, and support each others efforts to revitalize the Hilltop community of south Pittsburgh.
FARMERS BEGIN GROWING AT HILLTOP URBAN FARM, APRIL 2019
In the first season of the 2019 Farmer Incubation Program Pilot farmers experienced urban farmers have been offered the opportunity to start farm businesses at Hilltop Urban Farm, planting crops for the Pittsburgh region for the first time starting April 1, 2019. This effort is supported through an Advisory Council of local nonprofits and farmers.
OPENING OF THE YOUTH FARM, APRIL 2019
In April 2019, the Youth Farm at Hilltop Urban Farm opened its doors for the first time, welcoming youth from the Mt Oliver City, St Clair, Arlington and Arlington Heights neighborhoods to its programs.
PRODUCTION ORCHARD PLANTING, MAY 2019
In May 2019, Hilltop Urban Farm, The Fruit Tree Planting Foundation and Plant Five for Life planted the largest orchard in the City of Pittsburgh. Over 175 fruit trees were planted with the help of 193 volunteers, including over 50 cider apple trees for Threadbare Cider, headquartered in the Spring Garden neighborhood of Pittsburgh.
2019 YOUTH SUMMER CAMPS
In June and July 2019, Hilltop Urban Farm welcomed youth to its first ever summer camps at the Youth Farm.
501(C)3 STATUS
Hilltop Urban Farm receives its nonprofit status from the Internal Revenue Service on June 14, 2019, establishing the independent organization.
YOUTH AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS LAUNCH
Starting in September 2019, youth from the Pittsburgh Arlington PreK-8 School will attend the first after school programs at the Youth Farm.
ADDITION OF STAFF
Currently there is 3 full time directors. Executive Director, Director of Farm Operations and Land Management, and Director of Farm Programs.