Little Earth Urban Farm
By Harvey Winje
The May 2010 KUDOS is the Little Earth of United Tribe Urban Farm Project for its ambitious conversion of vacant land into many raised beds for growing food locally.
Last year a busload of people went to Milwaukee to see Will Allen”'s farm project. The group came back excited about the possibilities for growing food, developing jobs and even preserving traditional culture.
Last year 40 residents of Little Earth of United Tribes signed up as did 25 people from other organizations. This year on Earth Day the Little Earth Urban Farm project began the growing season by clearing stones and unwanted objects from the very large plot between the Hiawatha sound wall and the road east of Little Earth. People of all ages hauled wood chips, mixed in compost, and thus made rich one-foot beds of soil. They also planted lilacs along the wall and other plants and seeds in the beds.
A sign of pure enthusiasm and optimism was carried in on the shoulders of several adults; a wooden picnic table brightly painted by pre-school students and placed beneath a nearby tree ready for the first harvest picnic.
