FarmerJawn is planning a plethora of instructional programming to confront the issue in all age teams.
Barfield and Ritter are wanting right into a homebound program for older of us and people with disabilities who might not be in a position to go away their homes.
They are already working alongside teams like PowerCorpPHL to assist youthful adults.
And in addition they have a school-based program along side college students from Cheltenham High School who examine and work as interns. The project-based studying additionally permits for seniors in this system to come to the Elkins Estate twice every week and assist run the CSA program.
Karen Shaffran is a longtime trainer within the Cheltenham School District and three years in the past she shifted from educating in Cedarbrook Middle School to educating at the highschool.
Through conversations with the brand new superintendent on the time, Shaffran got here to a realization that the extra she found about project-based studying, the extra it appeared like her “sweet spot.”
So, the district determined to experiment with the altered studying system.
“At the same time that we were looking into how we could bring project-based learning to the district, we were approached by a donor who had some history with us. He had student-taught at the high school, and he has a family foundation that was interested in seeing if we would sort of go all-in with project-based learning, and he would fund the professional development of a cohort of teachers to sort of see that as a high school,” Shaffran stated.
She was a member of that group of lecturers they usually had been despatched to a faculty district in San Diego that has been using project-based studying in grades Okay-12 for about 15 years. They received a run down from the workers on their experiences and determined to apply it in Cheltenham only for ninth graders.
And as the scholars progressed in grades, the challenge would broaden with them.
Now, in yr 5 of this system that “functions like a school within a school”, project-based studying is accessible for all highschool college students.
“We’ve done all kinds of things, but definitely a fan favorite has been this partnership with FarmerJawn,” Shaffran stated.
Students have been integral within the analysis and design course of for the farm at Elkins Estate. They self-selected teams and helped design totally different components of the FarmerJawn setup. From the greenhouses to the potential for a goat enclosure, the scholars envisioned one thing particular.
Shraffran first received linked with Barfield within the 2021-2022 college yr after studying about her earlier farming enterprise within the space. She was in a position to get two college students positioned on the area that she was at. However, FarmerJawn was going by a tough patch and had to transfer her operation out of Cheltenham Township.
It wasn’t till Shaffran was happening a stroll together with her son that they found the builders answerable for Elkins Estate had been open to doing enterprise and sharing the area. So for months with out Christa’s information, Shaffran had conversations with the builders and was in a position to assist FarmerJawn discover a residence there.
“People already love Christa as a human being and her mission and to actually then be able to get fresh, local organic produce, both from a convenience standpoint, but also as … a reduction of environmental impact that our food is going to be grown locally,” Shaffran stated. “To have that as an example of entrepreneurship, of caring for the planet, of a woman owning a business, everything about it — it’s such a gift to us and to me as an educator.”
Barfield and Ritter have already got lots on their plate, however they’re wanting to roll out an entire itinerary of school-based programming within the coming yr.
However, Barfield doesn’t need to go away anybody out.
“When we have our volunteer days for people that just want to come in on the days that we do them, hopefully once a month that will get more regular, those are great opportunities for one-offs for people that just want to come see what we’re doing and get their hands in some dirt,” Barfield stated.
Ritter wants folks to know that the motto is “agriculture is the culture” and he’s hoping that with elevated visibility, FarmerJawn’s nonprofit can tackle larger societal points.
“Our supporters and partners really help us make this work happen. And also, we have some incredible people who are looking to fund this great work because it does take money to keep the lights on, if you will. So I’m thankful for all of those folks, and we just look forward to continuing our great programming,” Ritter stated.

While FarmerJawn’s Greenery is having its grand opening on Earth Day at its storefront at 6730 Germantown Avenue, its nonprofit remains to be a piece in progress and remains to be underneath improvement. Plants are already rising within the greenhouse in preparation for its first CSA set for June 1.
However, Barfield can be internet hosting totally different occasions on the property quickly within the meantime to increase cash for the nonprofit.
She takes pleasure in being a Black girl proudly owning a enterprise in an area that she hopes can be a catalyst for different Black folks to begin their very own journey in farming.
“Our nonprofit is really, really revving up and gearing up to make a huge impact in this community,” Barfield stated.