Off the CUFF with Erwin Rakoczy

Broadway-Fillmore’s other urban farming initiative has really started to take off this year.

Recently, I emailed Erwin Rakoczy, one of the Curtiss Street Urban Farm Foundation’s (CUFF) founders, some questions about CUFF.

Here are the questions and his responses…

BFA:  How did the Curtiss Urban Farm Foundation start and where are  you located?

ER: The idea was kick around at an annual Goodsual event at 222 Gibson St. about 4 years ago.

We than had a soft start about 3 years ago when a number of people like Yuri, Dave Majewski and I started to a large community compost pile at 59 Memorial and we decided this could be used to grow crops. CUFF tried to grow grapes and hops the first with limited success.

This year CUFF have over 30 lots via Grass Roots Gardens which we has planted about 1/2 with 200 Blue Berries, 50 Elderberries, 50 Black Currents, 25 Goose Berries and 100 Grapes. The balance of the lots will be planted as wild flower gardens or Sunflowers for soil remediation’s.

BFA: What are the short and long term plans for the development?

ER: Are primary goal is to positively impact the East Side by developing an Urban Farm that is self  sustaining.

(See attached CUFF goals and Mission Statement – PDF)

BFA:  What are some of the projects currently going on?

ER: We have finished planting most of the Berries so the next step is we will build about 20 raised beds for vegetables to give away and sell.

In an effort to improve the soil on the empty lots we are augmenting the soils by creating on site compost piles and using bioremediation (the use of plants to improve soil or remove heavy  metals)  to upgrade the soil.

BFA: What do you think about urban farming and how can it help cities like Buffalo?

ER: Urban Farming is one way people in the East Side can improve health, subsidize their food budget and variety their diets. The Urban Farm movement will allow the local community to take a greater role in their food and life style decisions.

BFA: How can people contact you?

ER: I can be reached at  716-480-3920, rakcozy12@gmail.com or at our website www.buffalocuff.org.

Thanks Erwin for the interview…great stuff!

Alive!