Despite my fingers becoming numb and my garden boot half filled with near freezing water from slipping into a deep puddle, I was in nirvana working in the greenhouse space I recently acquired to further along my Urban Farming vision.
It's been difficult to gain access as the lease agreements are still pending and insurance issues are being settled by the Cooperative forming called Grow Twin Cities. I feel so fortunate for having been given the invitation by one of it's founding members Russ of Giving Tree Gardens to check out the space and get in before the premium bed spaces get taken.
I thought of stopping by March 18th to show Nat Turner of Our Street at Blair Grocery what developments were blooming as part of a whirl-wind Urban Farming tour he requested while visiting the TC's where we met Star, the site manager. She was showing us around and I had the foresight to ask if the bed she was showing us on the south side of this large greenhouse was already taken. She said there were some people looking at it but hadn't put any money down yet. I asked if she were given the first months rent on the space would she take it, and she said "money talks!" I just happened to have that much cash in my pocket, a fluke, an anomaly in which I made good on! So now it's how to best utilize that huge space and collaborate with other would be interested Urban Farmers!
In the meantime, the freezing temperatures blistered my newest transplants I bought for getting started in time to resell at the market. I needed to create a mini-hothouse within the huge cold drafty space asap. Today I completed this clever heat saving contraption spending only the $35 cost of the plastic and tape to make it happen using salvaged wire and spare lumber lying about that Halverson, the handyman extrodinaire said I could use. The end result should be quite effective and I can't wait to get back in there and get a temperature reading under the plastic. I hope my transplants of Rasberry canes, hostas, day-lilies and onion sets don't get cooked before I can get them in their pots!
The greenhouse got started at the turn of the last Century and it feels really significant that at the turn of this century when there are so many unknowns that the Food Security and Environmental Regeneration movement have initiated a ground swell of enthusiasm and found a home retrofitting and giving a second life to this delapitated and neglected space. We have one year to make the property secure in a land trust and establish a working Urban Farming Cooperative on this site. There are many irons in the fire and people dedicated to finding the funding and put the administrative pressure on to secure the site for future generations of would be farmers. It's perfect! Absolutely perfect for incubating the food revolution!
Keep tuned for more unfolding of the story. Much juicier details forthcoming regarding how my vision is unflolding into the collective! Happy Frozen Spring! Diana
It's been difficult to gain access as the lease agreements are still pending and insurance issues are being settled by the Cooperative forming called Grow Twin Cities. I feel so fortunate for having been given the invitation by one of it's founding members Russ of Giving Tree Gardens to check out the space and get in before the premium bed spaces get taken.
I thought of stopping by March 18th to show Nat Turner of Our Street at Blair Grocery what developments were blooming as part of a whirl-wind Urban Farming tour he requested while visiting the TC's where we met Star, the site manager. She was showing us around and I had the foresight to ask if the bed she was showing us on the south side of this large greenhouse was already taken. She said there were some people looking at it but hadn't put any money down yet. I asked if she were given the first months rent on the space would she take it, and she said "money talks!" I just happened to have that much cash in my pocket, a fluke, an anomaly in which I made good on! So now it's how to best utilize that huge space and collaborate with other would be interested Urban Farmers!
In the meantime, the freezing temperatures blistered my newest transplants I bought for getting started in time to resell at the market. I needed to create a mini-hothouse within the huge cold drafty space asap. Today I completed this clever heat saving contraption spending only the $35 cost of the plastic and tape to make it happen using salvaged wire and spare lumber lying about that Halverson, the handyman extrodinaire said I could use. The end result should be quite effective and I can't wait to get back in there and get a temperature reading under the plastic. I hope my transplants of Rasberry canes, hostas, day-lilies and onion sets don't get cooked before I can get them in their pots!
The greenhouse got started at the turn of the last Century and it feels really significant that at the turn of this century when there are so many unknowns that the Food Security and Environmental Regeneration movement have initiated a ground swell of enthusiasm and found a home retrofitting and giving a second life to this delapitated and neglected space. We have one year to make the property secure in a land trust and establish a working Urban Farming Cooperative on this site. There are many irons in the fire and people dedicated to finding the funding and put the administrative pressure on to secure the site for future generations of would be farmers. It's perfect! Absolutely perfect for incubating the food revolution!
Keep tuned for more unfolding of the story. Much juicier details forthcoming regarding how my vision is unflolding into the collective! Happy Frozen Spring! Diana
