CFFC - with students and community volunteers - has installed two food forests at Montgomery College’s Takoma Park/Silver Spring Campus. The first is at the corner of Philadelphia and Chicago Avenue, and the second is at 7676 Fenton Street.

These food forests are already nurturing a deeper understanding of food production and food sovereignty in the region. As the spaces mature, they will become a sustainable source of food for the college's student population, which suffers high levels of food insecurity. They are also rapidly becoming spaces for community engagement, recreation and education, with regular workshops, demos, festivals and other events.  An additional area on the campus will be developed in the years ahead.

The Montgomery College project began in 2023. We worked with five permaculture designers who each took on the design of a portion of the 20,000 square foot site. Our lead designers then combined the designs, ensuring the various elements flowed together. One of the design teams was Montgomery College’s newly formed Permaculture Club, which was established once we secured permission to install the food forest.

The Club has been instrumental in leading efforts at the site while engaging the student population. It plans to add a seed library, a composting system, an art mural, and educational signage to the site.