By Kim Glovas

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – A North Philadelphia urban farm project is gearing up for the planting season and is hoping to attract young people to become part of the effort.

Philly Earth was created last year with the help of director Jon Hopkins.

It’s a farm tended by young people in the area surrounding the 2500 block of Germantown Avenue.

Hopkins says the farm used to be 15 vacant crack houses which were torn down. Now, the space is filled with raised beds, fruit trees, herb beds and more.

“All the fruits and vegetables that we harvest are sold through a market stand that we have here on the corner. And then we have value added products so we take cucumbers and we make pickles out of them, we take tomatoes and make tomato sauce, so there’s all these things that we add on to the original products. So it’s not just fresh produce, it’s the idea that these kids are kind of starting a quasi-business on their own,” says Hopkins.

He says the produce is also getting attention from local businesses, or partners, who are using fresh veggies and herbs in their products.

Listen to the entire interview with Jon Hopkins here:

For more information, visit: villagearts.org.