The Farm Part II

Going this morning to meet Cindy's partner in the land. Interested in hearing his ideas and getting a contract going. Mr.Chun Lin I understand is very interested in the modle I talked to Cindy about hoping for the best I will need to get going on many phashes of this at once from getting the land plowed to obataning the seeds and starting them and of course fund raising. I am betting that my understanding the new now will help in Fund Raising and getting the word out.

West Racine Farmer's Market Spot

A short spot I did for the West Racine Farmer's Market to help fight the effort to end that and build a Gas Station.
Why oh why does this city feel that tax base is more critical then anything else all the time?
We have study after study that shows why good food has everyone.

Choices

Choices

What would you rather see in your neighborhood. A Farmers Market or A Gas Station? A place when friends gather to buy fresh food and talk about the events of the day or place to stop and full up grab a 6 pack then drive off?
Is a building that adds to tax base the best every time or does quality of life meaningful?
How do we educate the powers that be that is is something we the City of Racine need to talk about?

Action Plan Market Garden and Farmers Market

The more I look into the idea of the farm the more I know its the right thing to do. The Farm can in fact grow and sell produce at a Farmers market we ourselves set up in the inner city.
But why?

This is a untapped market there is a huge food desert and those living there would like the same opportunities to provide good food to their families just as much as we do ours.
With NO food stores no one to compete with we would be the only ones. When we then sell for less then the stores our base can get to our base will grow and become our fans.
We would also grow and sell what the ethic community wants to eat and can not find in the stores.

More to come

Ed Clingman Organic Experimental Farm

Ed Clingman Organic Experimental Farm exists so now what is the plan?

1) Grow crops to sell into stores and Farmer's Markets
2) Create a Composing operation using Worms selling both the end compost and surplus worms
3) Explore squire foot gardening efforts
4) Provide educational opportunities
5) Provide food to area food banks
6) Set aside an area for rental garden plots allow low income to receive plots for exchange for labor
7) Provide opportunities for Ex cons to get work experience
8) Bring Green Jobs to Racine County
9) Have fun

Ed Clingman Experimental Organic Farm

Ed Clingman Experimental Organic Farm well looks like this just get going. This Spring at the First Racine Urban Garden Network(RUGAN) meeting May 09. A local business owner came and told the group that he had 5 ac in the county he would be willing to rent for the cost of $1.00 and a sigh thanking the University of Wisconsin Parkside an easy thing one would think. Without getting into the politics of RUGAN no one ever called him to follow up. When it was made clear to me from CAA if I had no space for a composting area I could not get a job with CAA working on there ideas about a food network, I obtained the land owners phone number and called him.
Today I and Mr. Robert Beezat will be seeing this land with the aim to rent it.

The goal of the Farm is to create a site for composting using rows and European Earth Worms. The rest of the land will be used to do small scale organic farming to sell into area Farmers Markets and restaurants Some land to be used to help support area food banks and the rest small 10*10 plots one could rent. Latter I will expand on my idea and how I will overcome obstacles

My fear is that after all my work that at the last minuet I will get pushed aside and others will run the operation.
I put that fear in God's hands and take power over this issue.

Racine's new Farmer's Market!

Racine makes a great move in working to create more sustainable food.

Buy Local! Buy Wisconsin!

From the Racine Journal Times

RACINE — When no new business is sprouting, do the next best thing: Have farmers sell what they raise.

That is the present philosophy of the West Racine Business and Professional Association. On Wednesday, the group will ask the Racine Redevelopment Authority if it can host a weekly farmers market on the city-owned 3100 block of Washington Avenue, near West Boulevard.

The city acquired the block in 2005 and cleared away the former, mostly dilapidated buildings. But since then, the block has stayed barren.

The most recent stumble in a string of failures there was when an Illinois developer with a contract to develop the block lost interest. That leaves West Racine without either a developer or a renewal plan for the block.

Getting permission from the city for a market should be a snap. "We have let the association use the space for special events in the past," City Development Director Brian O’Connell said Thursday. "I expect that we will let them use it for this."

West Racine businessman and Alderman Jim Spangenberg said the idea is for a farmers market there one or two days a week throughout harvest season.

"It’s a top 10 intersection in the City of Racine," he said. And so far, farmers have been receptive to the idea.

"They were excited," Spangenberg said, but added: "It’s just in the formation stage. We’re going to keep working to still get

somebody."

He said the association will ask the city to add gravel in some areas so farmers can drive in, and plant grass on other parts of the block.

Another source of money could be the West Racine Business Improvement District, which is funded by assessments on district properties.

This is a great idea. Helping to get folks closer to the source of their food! Helping small farmers!