NCBA - National Cooperative Business Association

05/19/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 05/19/2026 15:45

This week on Everything Co-op, the Dirtbaby Farm team on cultivating access to fresh food in Philadelphia

Tune into WOL 1450 AM, 95.9 FM or the WOL Livestream on Thursday, May 21 at 10:30 a.m. EST for Everything Co-op, hosted by Vernon Oakes.

Listen live

This week, Everything Co-op continues its observance of the International Year of the Woman Farmer with Evelyn Langley and Amalia Colón-Nava.

Vernon and his guests will explore the origin and mission of Dirtbaby Farm, and how to get involved in their upcoming Community Day.

Dirtbaby Farm is a worker-owned urban farm cooperative that cultivates accessibility around fresh food for caregivers, artists and families by providing farm-grown food, nutritious meals and nature-focused art and education in Philadelphia.

As a farmer and CSA coordinator, Evelyn Langley cares for plants from seed all the way to hearing about how folks ate them. She views her farming labor as community care, personal healing and creative practice. Amalia Colón-Nava is a farmer, artist and community coordinator. Her ultimate goal is to share her love for nurturing the land, making food delicious and enjoying nature with anyone she meets.

Dirtbaby Farm hosts events like their Harvest Fest, above, and upcoming Community Day.

If you live in Philadelphia near the Manatawna Farm, you're invited to join the Dirtbaby Farm team for their upcoming Community Day. It will be held on Saturday, May 30 from noon-4 p.m. EDT at the Organic Gardens at Manatawna Farm. Tasks will be assigned upon arrival, and farm days are weather permitting.

Dirtbaby Farm was founded in 2019 by Evelyn Langley with the strong encouragement and support of friends, including worker-owner Arielle Colella, who was Dirtbaby Farm's first CSA member to sign up. Amalia Colón-Nava joined that first season, too, as a dedicated volunteer.

United by their shared background as performance artists, their creative passions coalesced over time in the work of growing food for their community. By winter 2021, Dirtbaby had transitioned into a worker-owned cooperative, reflecting its collective ownership of the business.

NCBA - National Cooperative Business Association published this content on May 19, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on May 19, 2026 at 21:45 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]