2024-2026

For Michael Williamson the garden is a wonderful source of sustenance physically and mentally. He loves digging in the soil, experimenting with different crops each season, and preparing delicious meals from the organic produce he grows in his plot. He also grows flowers and heirloom gourds. This is also a community endeavor. His fellow gardeners offer a wealth of experience and advice about gardening and life. Friendship. While we may come from different backgrounds and perspectives, gardening and sharing produce with neighbors gives us common ground and a singular joy in tilling the earth. This is a community within a community.
Michael is an artist with a studio in Germantown. He is a member of InLiquid, a Philadelphia based arts organization and has shown his work in their gallery spaces throughout the city. Michael is a senior instructor of adult education at the Barnes Foundation. He taught studio art, art history, and served in a variety of leadership positions at Germantown Friends School, and has fond memories of bringing students to the garden for workdays.

2025-2027

Bettie J. Kleckley is a retiree. A major part of her career was in the School District of Philadelphia where she was a teacher and administrator. She served within the K to 16+ design model working with individuals from age 4 through adult. Additionally, she has worked in arts program design and evaluation and served as a consultant within that area. As an artist, she works in fiber, metal, wire, beads, and polymer clay. Her work is at a local gallery where she is a member and volunteer. As a lifelong musician, she began her studies in Philadelphia where there was a strong music education program. Through music, she has made many connections and has been fortunate to perform in several well-known venues across the country. She continues to perform with her church choir both during services and in concerts. Also at her church, she is part of the Audio/Visual team that live-streams and records the church services and other programs.

Her initial visit to the property at 5407 Wissahickon Avenue was around 1982. Her brother and cousin were competing in a tennis tournament. Years later, she came to the same 5407 location to service the rain gauge. What a transformation! It had become a beautiful, peaceful green space. She was enveloped by the feeling of tranquility that embraced her at each visit no matter the season. After becoming a member of what is now Old Tennis Court Farm, that same sense of peace and tranquility continues to surround her at each visit. In her younger years, she was not able to grow things, so her plants were made of silk. Since she has been a member of OTCF, she has received wonderful support from neighbors and other gardeners. To her amazement as well as that of family and friends, she is now a gardener. She has real plants that stay alive!

2025-2026

2025 is Max’s first year as a member of the Old Tennis Court Farm and gardening in general, and he has quickly fallen in love with working in his plot, and being a part of the community OTCF has created.

Though new to gardening, Max has long known the impact that being outside and working in the soil has on mental health, and the opportunities those activities have afforded him to connect with people. He feels grateful to have found this community garden, and to be given a chance to play a role to care for this space for present and future gardeners.

2025-2027

Mark has been a member of the Old Tennis Court Farm since 2013 and was one of the leaders of the effort that protected the property from development and preserved the farm in 2018. He is a firm believer in the value that productive green spaces provide to neighborhoods and the community at large. Whether it be a gardener tending a plot, the recipient of the harvest or a passerby, these places are a vehicle for so many elements of healthy body and spirit.

Mark’s gardening interests include heirloom tomatoes, hot peppers, eggplant, varieties of Eastern European garlic and wildflowers. He is now retired after many years of serving in leadership positions in the consumer package goods industry.

2025-2027

Stephanie has a deep love of gardening and sustaining our environment. She believes that the experience of growing one's own food is transformational and has an interest in sharing/supporting that experience with people from a variety of backgrounds. She is a native Philadelphian and has lived in Germantown for 38 years.  Over the course of her career, she was a professional chef for 15 years, and has served multiple non-profit organizations over 35 years in Development/fundraising.  She was an original member of OTCF and feels fortunate to be a part of this wonderful community of gardeners.