Anne with her corn & beans patch
When I first met in Anne Weaver in the spring of 2009, she was just starting on her urban homesteading journey. We sat down at her dining room table with gardening books scattered around us. She told me that although she had been doing a lot of reading, she still wasn’t sure where to start. She hoped that having a Backyard Harvest farmer from whom to learn would give her the hands-on help that she needed to get to the next level. And so it was decided that the Weaver family would welcome a new addition – a full service, diverse vegetable garden in their front yard cared for by one of Backyard Harvest’s trained & experienced urban farmers.
Throughout the 2009 growing season, Anne followed along with Farmer Grayce through planting, watering, weeding, pests, harvesting, more planting & more harvesting. She was so diligent in her observation that in 2010, she decided that she had learned enough to grow the garden on her own with occasional help from Grayce. And she was right!
Anne's peppers
Anne’s South Minneapolis yard now includes three garden spaces – two for annual plantings & one for perennials. This summer she has been growing tomatoes, collards, corn, beans, peas & more. She also added perennials like rhubarb, raspberries & strawberries. Her plans for 2011? Anne says she’ll do it again & has learned even more from doing it on her own.
As you probably know by now, Backyard Harvest’s mission is to strengthen the Twin Cities’ urban food system – one yard at a time – by turning lawns into nourishing & healthy landscapes. This food system serves each of us whether we are growing 800 pound of our own vegetables each summer or dining at the cities’ excellent restaurants. Anne & her family are an inspiring example of how to jump in with both feet to be active as both producers AND eaters – learning, growing & savoring along the way.
Anne's corn
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