Two Grants for Updates to the Urban Farm
As part of our mission and desire to enhance our urban farm program, the Urban Farm Committee partnered with the Pringle Creek Sustainable Living Center (SLC) to seek outside money to support our programs. Building on the SLC’s first grant received from AARP to enhance accessibility in the front area of the greenhouses, we have learned that the SLC has received two grants - one from the Willamette Health Council (WHC) and one from the Marion County Soil & Water Conservation District (MSWCD).
WHC grant:
The WHC, which supports healthy communities in Marion and Polk Counties, is awarding a $10,000 donation for us to purchase and install a large tool shed at the back of the greenhouses. Because of recent trespassing and theft issues and since we are unable to fully secure buildings made of glass, we identified the toolshed as an urgent need. The new shed will allow us to securely store equipment and supplies for farming and community events, as well as free up space inside the greenhouses. While the shed will be locked when not in use, we will set up a system to ensure that residents have access to shared tools and resources.
MSWCD Grant:
The grant supports the shared MSWCD, SLC, and PCC goals of conserving natural resources and educating the community in sustainable practices. Specifically, the grant will support updating the farm area to the right of the small greenhouse, along Thoreau Ave:
Clearing the existing area and replacing the rotting raised beds with longer-lasting and sturdier beds (plus a new water-conserving irrigation system to the beds), which can be planted by community members. In addition to the community supporting raised beds in our December survey, the raised beds also ensure that we are using clean soil and making gardening more accessible.
Installing a gravel/paver pathway along the small greenhouse to promote easier access to the area.
Installing a hedgerow of a variety of pollinator-friendly flowering shrubs along the sidewalk.
The MWSCD is awarding us $16,000 to make these improvements, with the expectation that our community will contribute the labor to implement the project as an in-kind matching requirement. We are excited for the opportunity to have fun and implement this project together with anyone interested in volunteering.
Project Timeline and Volunteering:
Over the next several months, we will need volunteers to assist with a variety of tasks (some requiring more stamina than others!): clearing existing beds, installing new beds, planting new beds, building the pathway, and planting the hedgerow. We plan to start cleanup within a couple weeks and complete the project with a fall planting of the hedgerow by November.
More details on volunteer days and signups will be coming soon. We have email addresses for those of you who expressed general interest in volunteering in our December survey, but if you did not express interest then and want to volunteer on this project, please let us know at pringlecreekurbanfarm@gmail.com.
While it may be a bit messy in that area over the next few months, by the fall we will have a wonderful new space to enjoy.
This was a wonderful effort stemming from our Urban Farm Committee with the intent to use outside funding sources rather than HOA resources (other than our time and effort!). A big thank you to Meghan Ochal, our committee member who is an experienced grant writer with small farm experience who spearheaded this effort. Another big thank you to Colleen Owen, our urban farmer, who was central in working on a detailed mapping of materials, providing institutional knowledge that guided the efforts, and (with Meghan) meeting with the funders who now have become strong supporters of our efforts!
Stay tuned for more information about the project, calls for volunteer help, and communication on more efforts by the SLC and our Urban Farm Committee to seek outside funding.
As always, if you have any questions or comments, you are welcome to email the Urban Farm Committee at: pringlecreekurbanfarm@gmail.com.
