(Janice Stevens – Wilson Street Urban Farm) What an interesting spring we have  had.   Two weeks of 70 -80 degree weather, then a major freeze.  Then warm again, then snow.  I’m placing faith in the idea that this latest warming trend is going to last – at least that we won’t get any more snow or temperatures in the teens!

This week has seen a flurry of activity on the farm.  Tomatoes and peppers were started in the house weeks ago and they were desperately wanting to be transplanted into 4″ blocks outside, so Mark and Jerusha made  380 4 inch blocks and lined them up on boards in the hoop house ready for transplants.  Sad, leggy tomatoes have been placed in their blocks and should be happy again soon.  Alex planted some of her peppers in the hoop house ground as well as putting some in blocks.    Cabbage and Swiss chard were planted in their outside boxes.  Herbs were transplanted into pots and barrels around the yard.

Read full story—>

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(Maki Becker, Buffalo News) In the spring of 2003, the Massachusetts Avenue Project turned a vacant lot on the West Side into a vegetable garden.

The neighbors didn’t exactly know what to make of it.

“They thought it was weird,” recalled Diane Picard, executive director of the organization. “Or they thought: ‘Oh, this is a nice little gardening project.’”

Ten growing seasons later, urban farming is flourishing in Buffalo, just as it has in cities across the nation.

A small but growing group of people with a taste for local food, a passion for living sustainably and a devotion to ensuring everyone has access to healthy, affordable food has started urban farms in vacant lots on both the West Side and the East Side.

This year, urban farming is approaching a new level in Buffalo.

A group of young people who recently bought up old vacant lots on Michigan Avenue and Peckham Streets has teamed up with other East Side urban farmers to form a farming cooperative. Their goal is to pool their skills and resources so that they can generate enough produce to feed themselves and sell at market stands to the public.

Read full story in the Buffalo News—>

To find out why they were there and see some great photos, click here—>

The Wilson Street Urban Farm has a couple new posts this week.

You can check them out by clicking here—>

A L I V E!

(Picture Wilson Street Urban Farm)

The greatest moment for any farmer is harvesting the fruits of what all their hard work yields.

When I saw the pictures from the Wilson Street Urban Farm’s Great Garlic Harvest, I couldn’t help but be excited for the farm and Mark and Janice Stevens.

The farm has really taken off this year with an expanded variety of crops.  By reading their website, you can feel their excitement and get the sense that things are really coming together.

How can you not love that a few short years ago Wilson Street between Broadway and Sycamore was devoid of any life except for a few houses…now the street is bustling with LIFE.

Visit their website: http://wilsonstreeturbanfarm.wordpress.com/

ALIVE!!!

(Photo by Sara Metcalf)

The Wilson Street Urban Farm’s stand is now open every Saturday from 10:00 am until 12:30 pm.

Fresh produce from B-F!!!

To check out what they have available, visit the farms’s website—>

Alive!

Check out these new posts from the Wilson Street Urban Farm on their website…

• Another Opportunity To Support Urban Agriculture
• Yes… Finally Another Post!

Great interview with Mark Stevens of the Wilson Street Urban Farm on WECK with Christina Abt and Tom Donahue.

Click here to check it out—>

Saturday, June 11, is the next volunteer work day at the Wilson Street Urban Farm.

People are invited to come between 9:00 and 12:00 to help out with whatever needs to be done.

For more info on the farm visit: http://wilsonstreeturbanfarm.wordpress.com