Along with an assortment of volunteers, including Jane Leavitt, above, urban farmer Arthur Culbert has harvested 600 pounds of produce to date from the community garden he created on a large (for the CWE) parcel of land on Waterman. Though the garden is smack dab in the middle of the city amazingly no one, including pesky squirrels, plucks a tomato or a peach from the trees planted around the perimeter.
As has been reported in previous posts, produce grown here is taken to food pantries at Trinity Episcopal on Euclid and Washington and Second Presbyterian at Westminster and Taylor. For the second year in a row Arthur expects to harvest a total of 1200 pounds of produce by the time the growing season is over.
Fourth grade students at New City School work in the garden as part of the school's curriculum on poverty and social justice. Students relish their time there and have learned so much. One of last year's 4th graders proudly brought photos of the vegetable garden he planted in his own backyard this summer. Last holiday season 90 bottles of rosemary vinegar, made by the students from plants in the garden, were sold at Golden Grocer to benefit the urban garden. Rosemary is flourishing in the garden again this summer and there are plans to repeat the effort this year.
A row of strawberry plants produced 1000 strawberries at the beginning of the summer; a second crop of fruit will be ripe for picking soon.
Popcorn seeds, purchased from a farmer who makes the trip from the Missouri Bootheel to Soulard Farmers Market, were planted in the garden, above. When the corn is ripe, the kernels will blossom and be the size of kettle corn.
Two young men who live nearby, orginally from the Soviet Republic, found paving stones that had been discarded in the alley and laid them between the rows of vegetables for easier navigation. Carrots, above, and watermelon (5 were harvested the morning I visited) were planted for the first time this year. Collard greens (the plants with the large leaves above) are the most popular vegetable among patrons of the food pantries.
Carmen, a not-too-threatening scarecrow, sports the perfect tee for her work in the garden. Arthur said they have learned over the past couple of years to plant more flowers, including zinnias and sunflowers, to attract bees and butterflies for pollination.
The community garden seems to bring joy to everyone who puts their hands in the dirt—or stops by for a visit. Thanks to Arthur, the students at New City School, and the many volunteers whose work contributes so much to the health of the patrons of the neighborhood food pantries.
Inspiring… Congratulations to Arthur and all of his 4th grade volunteers.
Nicki, very nice article, as always, about my favorite urban farmer. mlee