Here is an outline of key steps Fair Amount Food Forest has taken to establish this public food forest:
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A spark - An idea and conversation snowballs. Meetings of over 40 energized Philadelphians arose regularly to discuss utilizing public land to grow food at scale in a diversified and perennial nature for public education and benefit.
Community Input - Interact and spend time with Philadelphia communities with synergy and interest in a public food forest. Site Assessment - Determine locations suitable for this project on public land Grow partnerships and Community - Work collaboratively with existing organizations, community members, community groups, and professionals to organize and realize a viable community food forest project Project proposal - Approach the City of Philadelphia, partner organizations, and community members with a project proposal. Community design - Define site layout, function, and project ethos through a community-based process 
Organized Implementation - This project is a non-profit 501(c)3 that utilizes principles of Sociocracy and Dynamic Governance with volunteer committees for various areas of focus like site development, community engagement and education. Garden development, stewardship and harvest are to be organized through monthly workdays, public open house events, and weekly harvest and distribution events. The nonprofit is designed to be primarily powered by volunteers, while we aspire to included stipended community leadership and staff positions
Management, Feedback, and Self-Regulation - Once planted and nurtured, the food forest will transition to land management, educational programs and harvest with feedback loops for regular improvement Longevity - Our project intends to grow this food forest into an educational and community gathering space that will flourish into our city's future |
Consensus decision making - Fair Amount Food Forest uses a consensus decision making process and works to create open and accessible meetings for various tiers of involvement and focus. We are invested in community-design, leadership and inclusivity as this project unfolds
Community Outreach and Volunteerism - The project is community and volunteer powered. We are committed to engagement and decision making that comes from the immediate community Funding - This project is funded through grants and donations. Educational workshops and sales of value added products from the forest garden will provide additional income opportunities, while self sufficiency and thrift will be practiced through the use of recycled materials, plant propagation and in-kind donations. 
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