Amanda Staples

The Germantown Kitchen Garden, established in 2008, was inspired by Amanda Staples’ desire for easy access to fresh and organically grown vegetables. Now, shoppers at the garden find a plant nursery, vegetables grown in a humid greenhouse, and a sense of community.

  Only a few years ago, 215 E. Penn St. was an abandoned lot, overrun by 15-foot bushes and weeds. Now it’s a half-acre farm in the city. The Germantown Kitchen Garden practices local agriculture,