Grumblethrope August Newsletter
Dear friends of Grumblethorpe,
For more than 280 years, Grumblethorpe has been a place where things grow. We have been spending time over the past year to imagine how things will grow at Grumblethorpe in the next phase of its history. In the coming weeks, we’ll be taking the first steps toward whatever that future looks like with two new initiatives.
Open Saturdays
First, we’ll be establishing regular Saturday morning opening hours, from 10 am till noon, beginning on Saturday, August 22. The grounds of Grumblethorpe will be open for visitors to enjoy and for volunteers to come help work in the gardens. The gate to the garden on the right side of the house will be open for visitors and volunteers - no need to sign up if you want to volunteer, just come along, and we’ll find something for you to do in the garden!
Community Fridge
Second, we’ll be establishing the Grumblethorpe Community Fridge at John Wister Elementary School. Farms are meant to help feed people, and we know that John Wister had bread baked for neighbors who were in need. We’ll be partnering with the school and other organizations to establish the fridge on school grounds near the intersection of Penn Street and Wakefield Street.
Planning Our Future
These are the first small steps we’re taking as we try to connect more with our neighbors in forging a sustainable path for Grumblethorpe. We’ve been asking friends and neighbors over the winter and spring how Grumblethorpe could be a better resource for the community. Over and over again, we have heard that people would like more access to this much green space. And we have also heard about the need for better access to healthy and nutritious food, especially from our closest neighbors at John Wister Elementary School. We have talked with the organizers of the Germantown Community Fridge at Armat Street, who enthusiastically encouraged us in pursuing this project. I’m grateful for our well established partnership with the Center for Public Purpose at William Penn Charter School, who are offering their knowledge and experience to support this project too.
Early stages of strategic planning have underlined the concepts of stewardship, cultivation, and community as hallmarks of Grumblethorpe’s identity. I’m confident that these first small steps of the next phase of Grumblethorpe’s history are entirely in line with those priorities.
Join Us
I want to invite you to be a part of what’s happening at Grumblethorpe by coming to visit or volunteer on any Saturday morning from 10 to noon, or at these upcoming events:
Sept 10 - 12 - Firefly Hours
Thursday Sept 10 from 5 - 7 pm
Friday, Sept 11 from 5 - 9 pm
Saturday, Sept 12 from 5 - 7 pm
Sept 12 - Second Saturday & Stamp Rally. The house is open for tours from noon till 4 pm.
Sept 18 - Spirits of Independence
Friday, Sept 18 from 6:30 to 8pm - Prof David Hancock will talk about John Wister and the colonial wine trade, and there will be a tasting of relevant wines.. Tickets required and available at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/spirits-of-independence-grumblethorpe-colonial-wine-trade-tickets-1997761570636?aff=oddtdtcreator.
Oct 10 - Second Saturday. The house is open for tours from noon till 4 pm.
Over the winter and spring we were able to cut back, clear out, and clean up a lot of organic debris that had accumulated at Grumblethorpe. But there’s more to be done, and there are always weeds to be pulled! Thanks to a grant from the Tree Forward project, we were also able to accomplish a lot of tree pruning on the site, and give a little TLC to our trees! We continue to engage in strategic planning for what’s next at Grumblethorpe, and we expect to be able to share more in the coming months!
You can always support Grumblethorpe by making a gift online at https://www.philalandmarks.org/donate and selecting the Grumblefund from the drop-down menu.
We hope to see you at Grumblethorpe some time soon!
Sean Mullen