October 2011 Volunteer Newsletter

Change is in the air. The weather is cooling. Number of hours of daylight is dwindling. Can’t wait for the fall harvest and some good company to share our summer stories. October is a special month for us as we prepare for our second winter season.

This fall we will unveil the new mural Matthew Gifford is creating. The big unveiling will take place on October 21 (Friday). Come by and check out the beautiful mural and celebrate. For more information about the events, follow the link below to our website.

We are also expanding into the tennis court next to our farm. One component of the expansion will be putting together a FOODshed, a low cost commerical kitchen in a shipping container. We will need your help with this project in many ways. I added a link to our “wish list” below. There is a need for items and skilled services.

Finally, our staff is taking on some minor structural change/adjustment projects in and around the property to prepare for extreme weather conditions for the next year. We will need volunteers to help us with mulching, weeding, and maintenance of our farm, so that we can continue growing nutritious food during the cold months. As a non-profit urban educational farm, our success depends on the community’s ability to help us through volunteer service. Please come out, roll up your sleeves, and help make ECO City Farms a shining example of a successfully run urban farm.

See you on Saturday!

John

Volunteer Coordinator

ECO City Farms is getting ready to embark on a major new phase of life at its flagship farm in Edmonston.  After a long process of community input and collaboration with our partners at the Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission, we are happy to announce we will be expanding operations to include the former tennis courts adjacent to our existing farm!  Our plan is to utilize this new space to increase and diversify our vegetable production, as well as bring added educational capacity to the community.

We will incorporate several major new components into the farm expansion, to further develop our model of urban agriculture, which will include:

1. Commercial Processing Kitchen
2. Outdoor Classroom
3. Hoophouse 2.0
4. Depaving demonstration
5. Small Orchard

We will embark on this new phase with our same commitment to sourcing local and used materials, finding creative and low-tech solutions, sharing knowledge and experience, and turning waste into wealth.  Please consider making a monetary donation to ECO City Farms to make this vision possible, we also have a wish list on our website for those who may contribute other resources.  Keep an eye out for updates on our progress and opportunities to volunteer or attend a workshop.  To learn more about the farms plans for expansion, please come for a Q&A session to be held during our fall harvest party and mural unveiling on October 21st. 

-Adam Schwartz

 

(A full version of Adam’s update on the expansion that includes details of each component of the expansion and the concept drawings is available on our blog: Breaking New Ground)

 

1. Monsanto, Alfalfa and Big-Ag – A short reflective essay that summarizes three must read articles on GMO research and investments.

2. Marcin Jakubowski: Open-sourced blueprints for civilization –  A four minute TED Talk video of the founder of Open Source Ecology speak about the benefits of making open-sourced hardware technology for farmers.

3. Kojo Nnamdi on Urban Gleaning – Kojo Nnamdi’s September 21st show on urban gleaning projects in the Washington, DC area.

ECO City Farms Events & Opportunities

1. Volunteer Coordinator Intern – ECO City Farm is seeking a new volunteer coordinator. The position will require 10-15 hour commitment. The individual will be responsible for outreach to volunteer and manage scheduling; manage Saturday volunteer days; correspond and follow-up with volunteers, and volunteer appreciation.

2. Mural Dedication and Celebration - The mural is part of a public art and food project ECO City Farms initiated. The mural represents the history of the Port Towns area and its relationship to food and agriculture. The mural unveiling will be paired with a harvest festival