About Growing Roots

Growing Roots is a Pennsylvania-based farmers market coordinator dedicated to cultivating community through events that empower local businesses, farmers and artisans. Farmers markets are the core of Growing Roots as the company was built on our dedication to local agriculture and local food producers. Our focus is to create a sustainable marketplace. Growing Roots farmers markets allow seasoned and new farmers a platform to sell their goods directly to the consumer. Our job is to educate our consumers, foster the link between producer and consumer, and represent our market participants as the unique, exceptional quality producer that they are.

Growing Roots currently manages four farmers markets, three in Chester County: Malvern, Downingtown, and Eagleview and one in Berks County: West Reading. We are truly working towards creating a platform to support all things local food and small business. We believe in the power of good farms, good food, and good people. We understand the importance of educating the community, providing nutritious food, and creating long lasting relationships and connections along the way. There is a lot of heart, soul, and passion that goes into hosting these farmers markets.

GOOD FARMS, GOOD FOOD, GOOD PEOPLE
We are committed to supporting our people in a number of ways, primarily by telling the stories of our incredible producers in an effort to highlight their hard work, dedication, and endless contributions to the local food movement. A newer campaign centered around this is our “Good Farms, Good Food, Good People” farm to table cooking series. Watch the cooking series here.

A wise woman (Hannah Fuller of Farmers Market Coalition) coined the phrase: “farmers markets don’t just happen” and market managers everywhere rejoiced. If you’ve ever wandered upon a farmers market, chances are there’s some hard working people behind the scenes who make sure the tents pop up in just the right places and the newsletters get sent out every week — amongst many other things. At Growing Roots, we believe strongly in the power of collaboration amongst inspiring and passionate minds. Here’s the small but mighty team of women behind our farmers markets:

Samantha Frazier: Operations Manager

Meet Samantha, whose journey into the world of farmers' markets began with weekly volunteering at the Downtown Phoenix Farmers Market in Arizona. Relocating to Tampa, she seamlessly integrated her passion for local communities by working with Tampa Bay Markets. Samantha's love for small businesses deepened through these experiences, as she witnessed the resilience and creativity within local markets. With a professional background in Sales and Marketing, Samantha has dedicated herself to fostering small businesses, contributing her expertise while working for a co-working space that actively cultivated entrepreneurship. Her culinary inspiration comes from a background in catering, where she discovered the joy of cooking with local, seasonal ingredients. Samantha is not just a market enthusiast; she is a fervent supporter of local businesses, driven by a desire to celebrate the unique stories and flavors that make each community special. Excitingly, Samantha now serves as the Operations Manager for Growing Roots Partners, channeling her passion into new avenues of community growth and sustainable support for local farms.

Selah Phillips: Farmers Market Manager

Selah returns to Growing Roots Partners as a past producer with Rafiki Africa (IYKYK) with a newfound role and passion for the importance of localized food systems as well as the value of eating locally and seasonally for one's overall health. Selah believes all persons deserve access to fresh, affordable, and healthy foods.

Selah brings 3 years farm, market and nonprofit management as well as 6+ years farmers market experience as a past producer at Lancaster Central Market, Growing Roots farmers markets and other market locations. Selah currently works as a laboratory technician in Wayne, PA and as a grant writer and researcher for organizations all over the Americas.

With her background in biology, farming and project management, Selah joins us as a Farmers Market Manager and is also leading grant funding and sponsorship strategies for Growing Roots Partners. She sees a lot of opportunity for partnership and collaborations between Growing Roots and other community organizations, as well as potential for improved producer successes through capacity building at an organizational level.

Reconnecting with Growing Roots Partners has been a grounding and beautiful experience as a new resident of the greater Philadelphia area, Selah is excited to be on board with such a great farmers market organization & looks forward to purposeful abundance this season and on!

Lisa O’Neill: Founder

Growing Roots was founded nearly a decade ago by Lisa O’Neill, who created and expertly managed the markets and numerous community events. After a decorated career as a dietician, Lisa dedicated her time and passion to local food and brought to life the Growing Roots markets that we know and love today. A word from Lisa:

Farmers markets were just the start, the seed that was the beginning of Growing Roots. A weekly community event bringing together shoppers in search of quality local food from amazing local farmers and food producers. The markets allowed me to connect my love of nutrition with my family’s farming roots. I quickly realized just how important these weekly farmers markets are to the livelihood of every farmer and food producer that trusts Growing Roots to help them succeed. 

Local farms, local food, local fun.

In 2021, she passed Growing Roots onto Christy and made her way to retirement in Charleston, SC. She now gets to enjoy unlimited time with her granddaughter, Margo, in between fielding plenty of mentor-mentee texts and phone calls from Christy!