Urban farm

I had the good fortune of participating in the kick-off of the OTR Urban Farm on Saturday, which is the result of a fantastic partnership between several worthy organizations (see below for more details). The farm is located on a vacant lot on Walnut Street in the heart of the historic Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. We broke ground on construction of several raised vegetable beds made from recycled wooden pallets, as well as built a couple brick beds from bricks cleaned up from the property. Most of the materials we will use are recycled/reused, including a green house to be constructed out of 2 liter Coke bottles! 

Mayor Mark Mallory was a featured guest for the ground-breaking, much to the delight of the neighborhood residents and children in attendance. I approached a shy teen who was trying to take a photo of the Mayor from a distance with her phone saying, "Do you want your picture with the Mayor?" She demurred, but I offered again and she accepted. The Mayor was more than happy to pose with anyone! It was pretty cool. And the best part is that the garden promises to bring together the local community in a healthy, productive, sustainable project.

The experience really drove home one of my favorite quotes: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Mead

Healthy food, community cooperation, green initiatives… the list of positives about this project is extensive! But the highlight of it all for me was working with the huge labor force of children, ranging in age from about 3-15. The kids were hard-working, cooperative, excited, funny, and made my day… we constructed a 3-layer rectangular brick vegetable bed in about 30 minutes and there was tons of energy left over to do more! It was rewarding and fulfilling to be there, in the heart of one of the worst-reputed neighborhoods in the city, and find enthusiasm, energy, good behavior, and a desire to help and make a difference. I can't wait to go back and get to know these precious children better and help them to realize the impact they can have through continued involvement in bettering their community.

I'm attaching a couple pictures from the event:

*The farm, which will produce fresh vegetables out of a vacant lot on Walnut Street in Over-the-Rhine, is a partnership between the Mayor's Young Professional Kitchen Cabinet (YPKC), the local Service Employees International Union (SEIU 1), UC's College of Architecture, the OTR Community Council and the City of Cincinnati Urban Farm pilot program.