THE POWER OF PEOPLE
The Power of Planting a Seed.

While exploring what we would like to accomplish in 2013 the City Rising Farm team took the opportunity to look back to see what happened to the tiny seeds we had sown back in 2009.  Sometimes we get so busy in “doing” that we forget to “reflect” on what has been done.

We have sown many seeds over the short life of CRF.  Some took root right away and blossomed into bountiful crops.  Those crops include the relationships built in the Hough neighborhood we serve in.  We’ve worked side by side with many residents and community partners; the youth from all over the neighborhood and beyond, our wonderful students at Daniel Morgan Middle School and the Citizens Leadership Academy, the Thurgood Marshall Recreation Center and the Hough Library.  Our work at the Hough Branch library turned into an opportunity to build a relationship with the South Branch Library and the people of that neighborhood.

Some  seeds were a little slower to develop, took more nurturing but are just as important.  (Getting our gardens to a place where grass cutting is not needed is still in the works but takes more time to do effectively and esthetically pleasingly than we thought!)

However we have been buoyed like a newly germinated seed in a bed of fresh loam by the many supporters that came our way to help with donations of time, resources, good thoughts and funding.  We are thankful to everyone for their support!

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2013 will bring new and exciting opportunities to tend to our relationships/crops so that our fields continue to be healthy, vibrant, and productive.  It also brings the opportunity for us to explore and create other relationships so that our crops are also diverse! 

One of the most important things we have learned is to collaborate or cross pollinate (open air of course lol) with other people and organizations that bring the spirit of community and inclusion to their efforts.  Since one of the core strengths of the City Rising Farm team is our diversity we feel fortunate that we have been able to garner support in many circles.  

We are excited about working with some new organizations, including Food Not Lawns, Cleveland, Asian Services in Action, Inc., and Cleveland UMADAOP.

It is our hope that in 2013 we can add more new crops to our field.  So if you are a person, group, or organization that is looking to cross pollinate please feel free to contact us at City Rising Farm.  We are always looking for a good companion plant!

What we do for love of community!

Lara and Elle at Cleveland Colectivo pitching for Souper Saturday.

We weren't selected to move on but we won the big prize in terms of the relationships that came from participation!

If you would like to support the work of City Rising Farm please check out the link below to see how!

http://www.cityrisingfarm.com/wish-list.html

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What's On Your Plate Resource Opportunity!

City Rising Farm has been chosen as the latest recipient of Aubin Pictures "What's on Your Plate" Buy a Bundle, Give a Bundle Program.

For each bundle, (dvd, workbook, and stuffed onion) purchased a bundle will be donated to City Rising Farm!

This program will allow us to expand our ability to provide educational resources in the neighborhoods in which we serve.

The link below will take you to the site where you can learn more about the program and the movie which has roots in Ohio!

http://www.whatsonyourplateproject.org/shop

Please share this information with others and feel free to contact us with any questions, suggestions and/or concerns.

Thank you for your support!

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Neighborhood Connections:
Conversations on Work and Wealth!

Our Youth In Action

City Rising Farm has been fortunate to have some fantastic youth in our midst.  Our latest are teens Zaid and Teiarra. They worked with us this fall and are heading up the market garden youth project.

The neighbors adjacent to the market garden remarked at how wonderful it was to look out their windows and see the beautiful flowers and were so pleased that the youth in the neighborhood were involved.

Zaid has brought a wealth of knowledge from his summer job on a farm in Connecticut and Teiarra's bubbly personality and can do spirit makes her perfect for engaging other teens.

Look for our young people at farmers markets and other events.  If you know any young people that would like to learn how to grow fresh food please feel free to have them contact us! 

https://picasaweb.google.com/117417241875462723468/OurYouthInAction

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Souper Saturday
Hough - February

Creating art from seeds and forcing bulbs made for lots of fun at the Hough Souper Saturday.  We had delicious homemade tomato soup, brown rice, salad and wonderful garlic bread!

Is our mouth watering?  Well don't miss the next Souper Saturday!

https://picasaweb.google.com/117417241875462723468/SouperSaturdayHoughLibraryFebruary2013?authuser=0&feat=directlink

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Please enjoy the video below created by Jeanne Ryan of Chicago on her November visit. Wwoofing works!!

Lara Roketenetz
She's a gentle wind!

On October 1, 2011 a gentle wind blew in at City Rising Farm.  Her name is Lara.  She showed up quietly and unassumingly but the impact she has made is immeasurable! 

It was a cold and wet day for a plant exchange but as we always do at CRF we went on with the day’s plan.  The cob oven was fired up and hot soup and warm apple cider were simmering.  We stoked the fire and ate charred bread (we are still trying to perfect the cob oven bread baking process lol) and laughed all day!  

Still all we knew then was that this guest made us feel so comfortable, as if we had known her all our lives.   As time went on we saw more and more of Lara.  She came to help out at workshops and quickly became part of the City Rising Farm family.  

Lara is a  PhD candidate at the University of Akron in the Integrated Biosciences Program studying a native bio-control agent that is used to control an invasive aquatic plant instead of chemical herbicides.  (Translation she's helping to create a natural way to get rid of a plant that lives in the water without harmful chemicals.)

Her extensive knowledge in biology, the environment and education is outstanding.  We are so lucky to have her as part of City Rising Farm.  

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That gentle wind picked up velocity!

Lara started working with us on Souper Saturday and soon came on board as one of our environmental educators.  She also heads up the education department of City Rising Farm!  Keep in mind that this is done on a volunteer basis while she works and pursues her doctorate.  She is just amazing!

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Lara is the "Pied Piper" of City Rising Farm!

Lara is the "Pied Piper" of our organization.  She engages everyone and there isn't a person that meets her that isn't enamored.  Kids are especially drawn to her.  I’ve heard them exclaim “I love you Ms. Lara”, “Where’s Ms. Lara?”, or when they don’t know her name they ask for “The Lady”.  Lara can round up a bunch of kids for any activity.

"I have something for you but it's not ready yet."

One moment that stays with me was in December during Souper Saturday when a solemn faced youngster came in after the activities were well on the way.  Lara worked with her and got her caught up in time to finish with everyone else. 

During the clean up period this precious little lady came back in looking for "The Lady".  She said, "I have something for you but it's not ready yet."  Lara smiled and said something to her although I don't know what that was.  A few minutes later this young lady returned with a picture she had colored to give to Lara.   Lara was so excited and thankful for this "gift" that she told our little one that she would take it home and hang it on her refrigerator with all of her other treasures.  This solemn little lady was so happy to give her gift, share her talent.  I was so happy to witness the exchange.

Lara is a whirlwind!

It is these powerful moments that Lara Roketenetz seems to elicit like no one else can!  Whether she is talking to teens about working in a lab and doing research in Canada ensuring them that they can do the same or working on any of the many environmental projects around northeast Ohio, (think wetlands restoration,  tree planting in the metro parks, identifying flora and fauna at a local farm, or in costume working to raise funds for education programming in under served neighborhoods) Lara is involved at every level of our community.  

Did I forget to mention that Lara is also on the board of the incredible Green Triangle, Inc.  the permaculture non-profit located right here in Cleveland, OH?

We are so lucky to have Lara here!  She always blows us in the right direction!!!!

Please enjoy Lara's links below.


http://sites.jcu.edu/biology/

http://www.uakron.edu/ib/faculty-staff/bio-detail.dot?identity=2221945

www.greentri.org

In a hurry? Here's the direct link to all of our photos!

https://picasaweb.google.com/117417241875462723468

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Are you looking for a garden?  

The Rockefeller Greenhouse Garden is looking for you!

Friends of Greenhouse
c/o Rockefeller Greenhouse 
750 E 88th St, Cleveland, OH 44108

CONTACT PERSONS: 
James Harris, 
Board Member, Friends of Greenhouse

Perrin Verzi, 
Manager, Rockefeller Greenhouse

TEL:     (James Harris) 440.729.1426 
            (Perrin Verzi)  216.664.2512

FAX:    (James Harris) 440.729.1436 
            (Perrin Verzi)  216.664.3233

EMAIL: jharris@hlcommunications.com
            PVerzi@city.cleveland.oh.us

All America Selections (AAS) Display Vegetable Garden at the City of Cleveland’s Rockefeller Greenhouse.  
 
In 2012 the Rockefeller Greenhouse, with the support of Friends of Greenhouse, added an All America Selections (AAS) Vegetable Display Garden adjacent to its new Iris Garden in its expanding Southwest quadrant. 

Please contact James and/or Perrin to get involved in this wonderful garden!

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Souper Saturday
South Branch - February

Creating Valentine cards with seeds and making seed paper as a special surprise for those special Valentines was the order of the day.  

We also had an incredible homemade chili and brown rice that hit the right spot on this snowy day.  That and salad  with fresh strawberries made for a great day!  Check out the pictures at the link below. 

https://picasaweb.google.com/117417241875462723468/SouperSaturdaySouthBranchLibraryFeb2013HibernationExplorationPart2TheBeautyOfBulbs?authuser=0&feat=directlink

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What's Happening at City Rising Farm!

Herb Spiral Workshop
Saturday, May 18

We learned how to build an herb garden that is practical and beautiful in this hands on workshop.  

https://picasaweb.google.com/117417241875462723468/HerbSpiralWorkshopAndCommunityKidsPlantingDay?authuser=0&feat=directlink

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Home Depot Day at 
City Rising Farm
Thursday, May 30

Citizens Leadership Academy students joined in the fun as Home Depot led us in sprucing up City Rising Farm with picnic tables, benches, fruit tree planting, and more.

https://picasaweb.google.com/117417241875462723468/HomeDepotDayAtCityRisingFarm?authuser=0&feat=directlink

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Slipform Stone Masonry Workshop  Part 1
Sunday, June 2

Want to learn how to make a neat stone bench?  Join us for a hands on workshop on a technique developed nearly a century ago.

https://picasaweb.google.com/117417241875462723468/SlipFormBenchBuildingWorkshopAtCRF?authuser=0&feat=directlink


https://picasaweb.google.com/117417241875462723468/RemovingTheFormFromTheSkipFormBench?authuser=0&feat=directlink

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Garden Design Work Day With Accenture Volunteers
Saturday, June 8
 

Blaine Ave. Community Garden

Accenture volunteers joined City Rising Farm youth to help make the Northeast Pre-Release Center Horticulture Class vision a reality at the Blaine Avenue Community Garden.

https://picasaweb.google.com/117417241875462723468/AccentureEmployeesVolunteeringAtCItyRisingFarm?authuser=0&feat=directlink

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"PULL"
Hough Stop at
City Rising Farm
Saturday, June 8

We had great conversation, food, and music as we welcomed the "Pull" group to Hough!

www.spacesgallery.org/pull/images
Cleveland: Plug Into Pull!

Artist William Pope.L and SPACES invite you to be a part of Pull!, an unprecedented, citywide performance about what works means to Cleveland.   Non-stop from June 7-9, hundreds of Clevelanders will manually pull a truck across the city, from North Collinwood to Ohio City.  Images collected from people across Cleveland-- hopefully you included!-- about the meaning of work in our lives will be projected from the truck as it is pulled through the city. Pull! is a massive group effort, and we can't do it without you!  Sign up to Pull! by May 20, and submit your images by April 30.


https://picasaweb.google.com/117417241875462723468/PullIngInToCItyRisingFarm?authuser=0&feat=directlink

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Planting at the Blaine Avenue Community Garden

Souper Saturday
Hough Branch - April

Sponsored by all of Earth's people!


We had tons of fun as we celebrated Earth Day by painting pots and planting them with violas for people we love.  We also added a fun new activity to the day, "YOGA"!


Homemade soup, salad and healthy snacks will rounded out our Earth Day celebration!

A special thank you to the Earth Day Coalition for providing the free tickets to Earthfest!  We had a great time.

As always please find the link to our photos from the day listed below.

https://picasaweb.google.com/117417241875462723468/SouperSaturdayHoughBranchLibraryApril2013?authuser=0&feat=directlink

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Souper Saturday
Hough Branch - March

We started lots of plants for our gardens this year thanks to our wonderful community partner Gale's Garden Center, Willoughby Hills!

Lunch was homemade tomato soup topped off with cheese and fresh salad with sunflower seeds.

Stop by the library and see how our plant starts are doing!

As always  the link to the photos of the days activities is listed below.

https://picasaweb.google.com/117417241875462723468/SouperSaturdayHoughBranchLibraryMarch2013#

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Souper Saturday
South Branch - March

Re-potting plants was the order of the day.  We had to move our plant starts into bigger pots so they can continue growing while we wait for outdoor planting!

We had delicious noodle soup and salad!

https://picasaweb.google.com/117417241875462723468/SouperSaturdaySouthBranchLibraryMarch2013?authuser=0&feat=directlink

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