The DEER!!!!!!

OK...SO we have deer!
Our tomato plants have been eaten.  We have to get land that we can fence off.  The youth that has been working with us feels discouraged that there is no produce.  I agree!  I was given a contact name to inquirer about land in the city (Frog Town Neighborhood) will see what happens??? I feel that we need land that can be Youth Urban Farming Corps' (YUFC) land.  That is our next mission.

North End Urban Farm

I am very excited to have a relationship with the North End Urban Farm.  We met with Cherry on Thursday and she is excited for the youth to come and help with some projects that are starting at that site; like a deer fence :).  The Greenhouse is going well but it is very small.  We have another youth joining us and we are running short on work.  There is so munch that the youth and myself can learn working with some of the North End farmers.  Things are looking better!  Also, we have the application reading for the final look over and hopefully ready to file before August for 501c3 status. 

New Year More Learning

This year has been interesting.  Last season we had only greenhouse space and tried to grow cucumbers.  It was so hot and the cucs did not like it.  However, it was a great learning experience.  So this season, 2012, we got land right outside of the greenhouse and things were looking good.  We have one youth working right now.  He is with the Work Readiness Program, great kid, he whats to learn and works hard.  He helped with the planning and planting of our small garden.  All was going well until the deer!  After planting all the plants and seeds are plants were attacked.  They ate all the tops of our tomato plants.  They left the peppers and basil alone but sure loved the tomatoes.  It did not look good for the plants.  We kept watering and feeding and spayed with a nature spay that was made up of mostly egg whites and garlic.  That worked.  The plants recovered and we added a few more.  Those plants were hit from the heat and did not look like they were going to make it.  With a little loving care they seem to be looking better.  Now we have Japanese Beatles eating our basil.  Currently looking for a remedy that is all natural to take care of them. Still not discouraged. 

I was out today and the plants seem great.  Our pumpkins are healthy and growing.  The tomatoes are looking better each day, the peppers are doing well but the basil plants are still getting eaten.  We are excited and look forward to the small harvest that we will have.
  

So much has happened!

Well-  I have been busy.  We, Youth Urban Farming Corps, have need planting and preparing for packing the mushroom spawns.  This is our third week of having youth work in the greenhouse.  It has been amazing to see the desire to learn from the youth and the hard work. 

We currently have funding from the HIRED program to pay the wages of just two youth and the others that are showing up are volunteer base and/or just wanting to keep themselves busy so they stay out of trouble.  The youth are into it and I believe enjoy being able to release energy in a positive way.

My partner, Diana, is so knowledgeable and really has a great way of sharing her knowledge with the youth. She is a natural teacher.  Yesterday, she had one of the youth planting potato eyes vertically in potato sacks and in a cage.  It's really cool.  We are incorporating vertical farming due to a lack of space.  It will be interesting to see what happens and how much we yield from this way of farming. 

Today we will be soaking the straw for the mushroom chandeliers.  I am a little nervous.  This is my baby and I have never done it and so much is depending on this product and process.  I just have to keep telling myself that it will all work out, and it has.  Everything is coming along.  It is amazing to be apart of this movement, localizing our food source and helping my students in the community.

Snowing Again

I thought it was over, winter that is, the ground was showing and mud was forming.  I woke up this morning and the ground has a 2 inch covering of snow again and it is still going.  March came in like a Lamb and I guess it is going out like a Lion.

Yesterday, I met with a local Urban Farmer (Tim) who is willing to employ some of my students.  He also has land that he is already farming or planning to farm.  He has had a successful program in Minneapolis, the sister city to St. Paul and is willing to teach my guys how to farm.

The dream is coming together.  I have a meeting with a woman name Libby who I met last Friday.  She is the sister of Turner.  She is willing to help with the forming of the organization and budget.  I am very grateful and continue to have amazing humans come into my life that are willing to give their time and knowledge to help with my dream.  I can't  mess this up! 

Margy

Next Step

I have been working with this woman who has a lot of knowledge in gardening and farming.  We are going to introduce the students to composting this week.  The students will start putting together bins.  It will be interesting to see if they will be into growing; it is not a clean job.

My Dream

One day after a long day of teaching, I was in my classroom and in walks my principal, her cousin and his partner.  Turner, the cousin, is a teacher himself and was telling me about this school he started in New Orleans named Our School at Blair Grocery.  He started telling me about how he was helping students that have similar backgrounds to my students and how his school and urban farming has helped them.  I was immediately interested.  That was last April.

In February I connected with Turner again and told him I have to do something.  I am tired of my students, who are adjudicated youth, not getting jobs because of there backgrounds!  He said he going to be in Minnesota in March and I am going to contact some people that maybe able to help.  E-mails started flying and people started  showing up and offering potential resources and ideas.

Turner came and yesterday we met with some amazing people that are willing to help me with my  dream.

What is my dream?  Well here it is... I am a Careers Teacher at a treatment setting that services adjudicated youth.  I have been there for four years and have seen time after time my students be rejected for employment because of their records.  My dream is to have a Greenhouse in the Urban setting that will be an opportunity to employ my students regardless of their backgrounds, to learn skills and training in an area that is resourceful and lawful, and to give them an opportunity to be reconnected to their communities in a positive way.

I have made some promising connections.  I have my amazing students, motivation and I am going to get training at Growing Power.  I need land, materials, more gardening knowledge, and funding. 

Hope you keep checking in on my journey.

Margy