Back on the blog again and getting ready for the new season. The difference between where we were last year and this year is amazing. Most exciting news is that we just signed the lease for a 1 acre site called Jean's farm. It has 1/2 acre of tillable land that has been farmed organically for 100 yrs and contains many excellent facilities. The site is part of an 8 acre wilderness area in the  Johnson creek watershed and is IN the city of Portland. A true Urban Farm. It is a real privilege for us to be farming here and to be part of the urban farming history that exists here

The site has some amazing facilities including a Hoophouse, chickens, an open cob pizza oven and a teepee frame no less which we hope to make cozy and comfortable enough for someover night sleepovers at the farm.

We've also been hard at work getting some of our city garden farms ready for the season. During a particularly pleasant Thursday afternoon in February Broc and Moss prepared 'Trevor's yard'. We've been checking on the progress of someover wintering garlic at Jill's which is doing just fine. We've got 900 heads of garlic growing there!

Broc and Moss recently took part in an urban farming  event at the People’s Food Co-op in SE Portland.  It was a community meeting and discussion on the topic of urban farming.  lots of interested people showed up to explore the topic of urban farming and what it means for our community.  We'd like to thank Calliope from Calliope’s Table for organizing this event.  We're sure this is the first of what will be many community efforts to explore and develop the concept of urban farming. 

That's right people! We are living the dream right here at City Garden Farms. We are living it, sleeping it (albeit some sleepless nights too), Tilling it, planting it, watering it, growing it, tending it, nurturing it, harvesting it, washing it, prepping it and realizing it as we share our beautiful, fresh bounty with our CSA members and the people of Portland at various Farmers markets around the city. We have gone from: 

                              this                                          to this

to this!!

In a very short space of time.

Broc and Moss have been hard at work in ALL of our City Garden Farms which number 10 at present with more to come on line. The two biggest milestones we just passed were our first ever CSA pickup and our first ever farmers market! Our CSA started last week and Moss was on hand to hand out produce to our NE customers and give a quick tour of Mossy Point to those attending. It was great to meet and thank the fabulous people who have believed in us and supported us. Thank you so much! Broc had the same great experience at Bybee Gardens and was on hand to greet and thank our customers first hand. Many people responded "No No! ThankYOU! "  I think we are all thankful that we can participate in this together.

We will be attending The Portland Farmers market at the Eastbank location on Thursdays from today on between 3.30pm and 7.30pm. Come down and see us in action!

 

And finally a word from Moss about Broc (Our man in the field)

 

Occaisionally in life you get to meet great people, even better you become friends with them and share experiences in life together. I have been very lucky to have met Broc, for us to have become friends and for us to have believed in each other, realized our dreams and start City Garden Farms. Broc made the leap to this Full time a few months ago and we wouldn't have gotten has as far as we have without that leap of faith. I'd like to thank Jenny his wife for supporting that leap which has enabled us to do as much as we have so far. 

They are truly 'Broc stars' in their own right and I am so glad I know them.

Moss.