Tuesday, June 28, 2011 in , , , , ,

Blissoma Organic Community Garden Updates and Photos

Beautiful friends,

As you now know Blissoma is sponsoring the start of a community garden in our urban neighborhood in St. Louis, MO. This community garden is redeveloping a vacant lot that otherwise was a neighborhood problem - a haven for scattered trash and weeds.


We are pleased to show you some of our progress to date on our garden plot. You are our supporters on this journey and without the involvement of our customer base this endeavor would not be possible.
To date this spring your purchases have directly supported more than $400 in cash garden investments including:

- over $100 in organic and heirloom seeds purchased entirely from independent, Monsanto-free seed suppliers

- new hoses to supply water to the garden

- stakes to support the green bean and tomato crops

- manure and other organic soil amendments for the crops

- composting supplies for garden waste so that we can generate organic, nutrient-rich soil through outdoor composting and vermicomposting


Your support has also enabled me to donate more than 360 service hours to the garden from just April to today alone. This does not include the initial plowing and care we did for the starting plot last fall (which would easily drive the total to 500+ hours). While I am out working the garden Frank has been dutifully serving your orders, making products, and answering emails and calls.


The soil was difficult to work due to piles of buried bricks and concrete. Just to break ground for the new 20' x 40' strip that became the tomato rows and melon/pumpkin patch took approximately 2 1/2 weeks of hand digging. The soil is clay and filled with construction rubble so we trucked in and spread more than 5 dump trucks worth of fresh dirt and 3 pickup loads of manure to build freeform raised beds.


So far we have been visited by numerous neighborhood residents as we work. Neighbor children have planted seeds with me and the Envisioning Hyde Park photography project stopped by with about 10 local youth to learn about what we are doing. We plan to launch a local awareness campaign to build involvement as the summer progresses and the "fruits" of our labor become more evident.


You are directly supporting organic awareness and empowerment to a community that was previously a fresh food desert. You are supporting positive action in a place that was known for gang violence, drugs, and decomposing architecture. You are helping us show a largely forgotten community in St. Louis that real change is possible with a dream and hard work. Each time you support Blissoma you support positive values and healthy evolution. You can feel good about your purchase in every way.


We will continue to share progress with you as we "grow". Thank you for all you do. Enjoy the pictures of our beautiful plants! :)

rows in the sunset


leeks about to flower and baby romaine


red cabbage

carrot flower buds


bok choy in bloom


Copyright 2011 Blissoma and Julie Longyear. Powered by Blogger.