TSW Farm

The ministry objectives of the TSW Farm are to:

• grow fresh, local produce that we can donate to local shelters, recovery houses and families in need
• create a sustainable enterprise to support The Samaritan Women's ministry work
• overturn the Urban Food Desert areas of Baltimore City and improve the nutritional health of our urban brothers and sisters
• honor God’s creation and nurture our souls

Our farm has recently been expanded to 6 acres of cultivated land. In 2010 we added a compost operation and vermiculture program and are erecting a greenhouse and (hopefully) three hoop houses (high tunnels) to give us the ability to do 12-month farming and increase our overall crop production. These farming structures will give us the opportunity to start seeds earlier in the season and to grow such plants as tomatoes and lettuces all year ‘round!

Every weekend dozens of volunteers come to The Samaritan Women to work on our urban farm. Starting in March 2010 we will be working on the first planting, with the hopeful anticipation of a big harvest in late May/early June.

We are grateful to St. Agnes Hospital and the Catonsville Sunrise Rotary Club for providing grant funding to install a farm irrigation and volunteer hand-washing station on our farm. It was quite an adventure getting over 600 feet of trenching dug (in the snow!), but what a difference the irrigation system will make for us this summer.

In the future we will be pursuing grant support to build a community education center to teach people about urban gardening, ecology, and green practices.

CHECK US OUT!

The Baltimore Sun features: The Samaritan Women Community Garden

VOLUNTEER: 

We need a lot of volunteers to support the maintenance and production of a farm this size.  Jobs include weekly maintenance (weeding, watering, etc.) as well as harvesting and planting new crop rotations.  Groups can sign up for work days by contacting Jeanne.  Or if you are a family or individual, check our calendar of open work days and come join us! 

DONATE: 

We need a large inventory of gardening hand tools (trowels, rakes, shovels, etc.) for our volunteers to use. If you have too many cluttering up your garage, consider donating them!