Ruth Bennett Community Farm is named in honor of Ruth L. Bennett (June 21, 1866 – February 24, 1947). Originally born in Alabama, Ruth moved to Chester, Pennsylvania with her husband during the Great Migration from the south in 1914. During this time thousands of black southerners migrated to Chester. A large part of these migrants were women with no place to stay. Ruth’s life mission was in service of supporting this vulnerable population. She went on to found the Ruth L. Bennett Improvement Club, the Ruth L. Bennett Community House for Colored Women and Girls, as well as the Wilson Nursery. She became the women's club founder and the first president of the Chester, Pennsylvania branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). She also served as president of the Pennsylvania State Federation of Negro Women's Clubs. The Ruth L. Bennett House, as well as the Ruth L. Bennett Homes public housing development are also named in her honor.
Our Team
Natania Schaumburg
Farm Manager
Natania has a decade of experience working in urban agriculture. She has a certificate in Ecological Horticulture from the Center of Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems at UCSC. This is her 5th season at RBCF. She has helped develop the farm's infrastructure and programs over the past four years, including installing electricity, water, a greenhouse, a walk-in cooler and a deer fence at the farm. She has been able to pursue her personal interest in flowers by largely incorporating flowers into the crop plan at RBCF. Her favorite flowers are dahlias. Her favorite vegetable crop is red peppers, and you can find her snacking on them all day in the summer.
Malik Savage
Grounds Manager & Farm Assistant
Malik is a community food security activist and veteran with almost a decade of experience working to address food access in his North Philadelphia community and his adopted community of Chester. Born and raised in South Carolina, Malik has reconnected with his agricultural roots in recent years through his experience with urban farming. During the season, you can find Malik riding or pushing a mower, helping with our food distributions, or sharing some interesting stories from his past with youth. (Did you know he was a professional boxer for many years??) Malik's favorite crop is the luffa squash which are used as sponges.
Merthus Mbonigaba
Assistant Farm Manager
Merthus is a refugee farmer from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He has decades of agricultural experience, specifically with youth educational programs in refugee camps in Namibia. Merthus is an excellent assistant farm manager, and he brings his vast knowledge about growing many different food crops to our farm. His favorite crop to grow is a variety of African Eggplant that he says can be eaten raw or cooked. He has grown seeds that have been saved for many generations at the farm.
Youth Crew
Each summer, six youth ages 14-18 work at RBCF. We pay them to work along side us in many aspects of the farm, especially harvesting and preparing for food distribution and farmer’s markets. In addition to learning about organic farming and community food security, youth develop job-readiness skills such as team-building, written and verbal communication, time management and commitment. We go on field trips with youth during the season to other farms in the region who are doing similar projects. These teens bring a great energy to the farm and keep us all striving for excellence.
Youth Mentors
A few adult Farm Mentors with years of experience working to address community food security work at RBCF. They support youth programming and food security efforts. They are also involved with job training opportunities in urban agriculture with a special emphasis on flower production, farm marketing, and culinary arts demonstrations.