Some of our partners, resources, fellow growers. . .

Without the support and examples of organizations like these, LCF would not be able to sustain itself. We are grateful for all of the folks mentioned below as well as growers everywhere; thanks a million!

Sankofa Farmers Market: LCF sold various greens and roots after our first harvest in Fall 2010 at Sankofa Farmers Market. Unfortunately, we do not have the product at the moment to continue selling, but we do provide the market with volunteer support. The market is held in the parking lot of All Souls Episcopal Church at the corner of Caffin and St. Claude every Saturday from 10-2. Find out more at http://sankofafarmersmarket.org

Backyard Gardeners Network: BYGN is an organization in the L9W founded and run by residents following hurricane Katrina. They manage two agspaces in Holy Cross: the Laurentine Ernst Garden and the Guerilla Garden. The organization was founded and is run by Jenga Mwendo. Check them out on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/backyardgardeners; also, here's a recent feature on Jenga at grist.org: http://www.grist.org/article/food-2011-01-03-the-new-agtivist-jenga-mwendo

New Orleans Food and Farmers Network: These folks are a fabulous resource for NOLA growers. You need seeds? Go by their office in Mid-City on Banks St. Need to attend a class on cistern irrigation? Check out their Grow Mo' Betta series. http://noffn.org

Our School at Blair Grocery: A super-cool alternative school and micro-farm right around the corner from LCF at Benton and Roman. They have provided us with several resources to get our composting operation going, and they are very efficient with saving seeds and are never wary to share! Check out their weekly farmers market on Sunday afternoons. More information at http://schoolatblairgrocery.blogspot.com

Other growers and community agwork in NOLA

HollyGrove Market and Farm: http://hollygrovemarket.com

Edible Schoolyard: http://www.esynola.org/

Parkway Partners: http://parkwaypartnersnola.org

Crescent City Farmers Market: http://crescentcityfarmersmarket.org

VietVillage Urban Farm: http://www.cityfarmer.info/2010/08/29/viet-village-urban-farm-new-orleans/

NOLA Green Roots: http://nolagreenroots.com

Lower Ninth Ward Village: http://www.lower9thwardvillage.org/new/

I'm probably forgetting a few, but these are the first that come to mind. There are also plenty of individual growers and supporters to whom we are also grateful. Let's all support local agriculture and community building work!

Photos from the fall 2010!

Our first purple-kale; very tasty steamed, boiled or raw. One of the most densely nutritious foods around

Collards!! We have plenty-- come by and get some!!

Curly mustard

greens-- very

spicy

This beet is ready to burst out from the soil! One of our most

popular items at Sankofa Farmers Market.

Purple-topped turnip-- another very popular item.

Our first broccoli! These plants are still producing-- almost 2 months later! And if you let them flower, they make a tasty and beautiful addition to salads.

Some of the rows

Beautiful mural on the shed!!

Babies~

WE HAVE SO MUCH DILL. Please come by if you'd like some.

Old compost station-- you gotta compost to grow organic!

The section of LCF that we are in the process of cultivating (facing Galvez and Caffin)

So, yeah, muchos gracias to Andrea Cafini, a very hard-working Italian volunteer, for letting us use his camera to capture the burgeoning farm on such a beautiful fall day! More recent photos coming soon-- just waiting for the weather to warm up. Take care, y'all.

And so we begin.

Back in the summer of 2010, lowernine.org, a nonprofit rebuild organization in, you guessed it, the lower ninth ward, received some news: a dear friend of many of the folks here secured funds, permits, etc to rebuild a house in the neighborhood. Where specifically? On the site of the Villere Farm! Sacre-bleu!

Nevertheless, we found a new property, much larger, and began clearing out land, collecting soil samples, working sand into the hard clay soil-- all the while preparing for a much larger operation. We rent the plot of land from two different individuals; Lamanche Community Farm (2124 Lamanche) sits on about three lots, or 1/2 acre in the lower ninth. We are very fortunate that NOLA residents are so open to let people grow on their family's land.

But why grow here at all? Well, not only does the ninth ward have a history of folks growing everything from satsumas to cucumber, corn to tangerines, but it's also one of the few places on the US mainland where one can grow all year! For instance, at LCF, we have had brassicas growing all winter with no hoophouses or straw. They are thriving and delicious!

Back to the point: so now we are growing in a much larger space. About 1/3 of it is cultivated and growing, the remainder is in the process. This blog is being started to keep people updated on the activities of the farm, to let folks know about different events, to plug our partners and to feel out suggestions and comments. Immediately coming are outlines of missions and goals plus photos!!! We just finished framing our first hoop greenhouse as well. Stay tuned!