THE POWER OF PEOPLE
It can't be beat!

Picture
The more I learn the more I am amazed at the power of people.  Not the "celebrities", but the everyday people who come together and sometimes with little or no resources make big things happen. 

We have experienced the power of the everyday people from the inception of City Rising Farm.  Every step of the way from the concept through the reality of where it is today is from the efforts of many. 

On April 11th we were privileged to have the City Year volunteers at our site.  Approximately 30 wonderful everyday people converged on Blaine Avenue and worked on the community, market and permaculture sites of City Rising Farm.  Their efforts along with our core team helped further the transition of these spaces into viable community assets.

Blaine Avenue Community Garden

The young adults from the City Year Program worked with Ms. Alisa to upgrade the Blaine Avenue Community Garden.  They refreshed the lasagna bed that houses the Three Sisters Garden, mulched paths between the children’s raised beds, and did general clean up in the garden.

City Rising Farm Market Garden

Terah McNeal worked with her group of City Year volunteers to add more soil amendments to the existing raised beds.  They were so motivated that they created two more raised beds which Mrs. McGregor, our Garden Coordinator-at-Large immediately planted with strawberries and potatoes!

City Rising Farm Permaculture Garden

Josh Koppen and his team of City Year volunteers continued the work that was started on ST.Patty's Day by sheet mulching the site and preparing two more raised beds with straw from the University Circle skating rink, leaves from the Blaine Avenue neighbors and cardboard from everyone!  What a nice surprise there was for Josh.  His sister Jess was one of the City Year volunteers and neither of them knew the other would be there!

We are very grateful to Emily and all of the City Year Team from  the coordinators and administrators to the volunteers themselves!  Their work really helped move our program along quite nicely.

We are especially grateful to Ward 7 Councilman T. J. Dow who recommended City Rising Farm as a City Year volunteer opportunity site!

The City Rising Farm family is encouraged by the people who come out and contribute whether it be time, and/or resources, or just words of encouragement.  All of those contributions  help us on the road to increased fresh food access in this wonderful community. 
https://picasaweb.google.com/117417241875462723468/CityYearVolunteersAtCityRisingFarm?authuser=0&feat=directlink

Cleveland Wwoofs!

Picture
 A one of a kind opportunity to explore Cleveland’s Local Food Movement! Be our guest this summer – work at several of Cleveland’s up and coming nationally recognized urban farms and in return receive room and board at the one and only brand new Cleveland Hostel- Opening soon in the Ohio City neighborhood – the regional hub of local food and all things awesome!  Check out Cleveland Wwoofs Now - Follow this link: http://www.growfood.org/farm/25608

Check out the Cleveland Hostel Now – Follow this link: https://www.facebook.com/clevelandhostel

Please contact us today to schedule your visit! 

Thank you,
Lilah Zautner,
Neighborhood Progress, Inc. 

Please note: Clevelanders are welcome to participate. However, to qualify for room and board your permanent address must be at least 80 miles outside of Cleveland.


Please contact Colby Sattler with any questions on Cleveland Wwoofs.

His contact information is as follows;

Colby R. Sattler | AmeriCorps VISTA216.453.0483 | csattler@npi-cle.org
wwoofing_general_online_job_description.pdf
File Size: 274 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Terah McNeal:
City Rising Farm's
Herb Specialist and Culinary Coordinator is everywhere!

Picture
The City Rising Farm team can be found just about anywhere.  In March Terah McNeal our Herb Specialist and Culinary Coordinator was  one of the subjects of an incredible article in the Plain Dealer on Baby Boomers and the Recession.

While pursuing job opportunities that match her extensive skill set Terah has been honing the skills of her favorite hobbies, gardening, crafting, and cooking by volunteering to teach.

In April in addition to coordinating the City Year volunteers work at the City Rising Farm Market Garden Terah spent some time at John Hay High School with  Ms. Ammons 10th grade biology class.  She taught them how to make salsa using fresh ingredients including cilantro.

Terah's amazing ability to transform something from nothing has inspired us all!

The link below will take you to the article from the Plain Dealer!
http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2012/03/baby_boomers_in_ohio_hit_harde.html

Northeast Pre-Release Center:
Garden Design Contest
And the winner is....Rick-A-Fish!!!

Picture
Thank you to everyone how voted and our special thanks to Dave Eames and the ladies of the Northeast Pre-Release Center's Horticulture Program for providing these amazing designs for the Blaine Avenue Community Garden.

In the coming months we will implement this wonderful design.  Check back for our schedule of work days so you can be a part of the transformation!!!

http://www.cityrisingfarm.com/thank-you-northeast-pre-release-center-souper-saturday-0212.html


http://www.cityrisingfarm.com/northeast-pre-release-center-garden-design-entries.

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

Picture












https://picasaweb.google.com/117417241875462723468

Souper Saturday:
Coming to a library near you!!

Our Souper Saturday series was great fun and very successful!  
Look for us next year.

Picture
Many thanks to all who made this series so successful!

Cuyahoga Vally National Park Ranger Brady Borquinn,
Hough Library Staff
Neighborhood Connections
Robin Holzman
St. Clair Superior Development Corporation
Whole Foods (Cedar Center)

The City Rising Farm Team (Alisa Foster, Elizabeth McGregor, Elle Adams,  Josh Koppen, Lara Roketenetz, Terah McNeal.)

If you would like to suggest a topic or volunteer for future Souper Saturday workshops please contact us at info@cityrisingfarm.com  or
216-376-3640.

SOUPER SATURDAYS

May: Mothers and Mother Nature:  What an Awesome Tag Team!
Moms Toadally Rock!

Picture
Our final Souper Saturday of the season was all about Mom!  We made toad houses for moms to put in their gardens to catch insects naturally!

April: Fun in the Sun and Made in the Shade! 
The Liveliness of the Forest Edge.

Picture
Bird Feeders, toad houses and planting sunflowers.  We captured the the essence of the forest edge and had a ball while we were doing it!

Check us out at the following link.
https://picasaweb.google.com/117417241875462723468/SouperSaturdayFunInTheSunAndMadeInTheShade?authuser=0&feat=directlink

March: The Blurb About Herbs!

Picture
March's Souper Saturday, The Blurb About Herbs!

Our incredible team of gardeners, organizers and community partners put on another great day of fun... this time on the subject of herbs.  The dynamic duo of Josh Koppen and Lara Roketenetz engaged us all in creating decoupage planters to put our mini herb gardens they showed us how to plant in.  We then made sachets with dried lavender flowers.  Hmmm, hmmm what a wonderful fragrance that was!

Lunch was chock full of herbs.  We had bread, herb butter, herb cheese, lavendar cookies, roasted potates with rosemary, tomato basil soup,  lentil sprouts and salad.  We also had chamomile and berry iced teas.  We were full as little bunnies in the lettuce patch when we left.

As always we captured the fun for those of you who were unable to make it.  Please feel free to check it all out at the link below.

https://picasaweb.google.com/117417241875462723468/SouperSaturdayTheBlurbAboutHerbsMarch2012?authuser=0&feat=directlink