Queen City Farm

The QCF Vision

rod@queencityfarm.org (Rod McCallum) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 11:57:00 +0000

Crops are Growing

rod@queencityfarm.org (Rod McCallum) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 12:56:00 +0000

The last couple weekends have been very productive. Our new farm manager and staff were able to spend some time working to get beds made and plants in the ground before their official start date of July 1st. We have nearly 200 tomato, pepper, cucumber, radish, melon and others in the ground. We are looking forward to doubling the size of the current field with more summer and fall crops. Our 13 fruit trees are doing well and we are looking forward to a cherry harvest next month.
We have an irrigation system in place watering our crops automatically. This doesn't sounds like much but it eliminates over an hour of work each day that can be focused on other efforts.

We look forward to building a greenhouse this season and materials are needed for this effort. If you would like to contribute to this effort that will extend our season and reduce our costs contact Rod by sending an email to rod(at)queencityfarm(dot)org.

Grace and peace to all.

Urban gardens ease bills, brighten cityscape

rod@queencityfarm.org (Rod McCallum) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 16:10:00 +0000

Check out the article from USAToday about the success of urban agriculture in Detroit:

The neighborhood garden a block from her home was the source of fresh tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers for her family last summer.

So on a recent sunny Saturday, White, 48, enlisted two of her kids — Katherine White, 9, and David Smith, 13 — and her grandson Robert Puritan, 8, to start planting for this year's growing season.

White says the garden helps ease her grocery bill and "helps the community and makes it look better."

Keep reading:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-06-02-urbangardens_N.htm?csp=usat.me

Here we grow again!

rod@queencityfarm.org (Rod McCallum) — Sat, 02 May 2009 20:05:00 +0000

Today was a huge blessing. Our neighbor took his dump truck out to Amherst's municipal composting facility this morning and picked up 10 tons to beautiful soil. He backed into the vacant lot that we own and tried to dump the load. Unfortunately for me, even his skilled driving couldn't get the soil out of the bed. I ended up climbing inside and shoveling the remaining soil out of the truck.

Duffy, a volunteer from the Wesleyan Church at Hamburg came over and spent the morning helping me remove the sod and mound our raised beds with soil. A few hours of back-breaking labor and we have several beds almost ready for planting. Come Memorial Day we will set out 150 tomato plants and a variety of other veggies. Thanks to all who lent a hand.

Recognition

rod@queencityfarm.org (Rod McCallum) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 12:55:00 +0000

Urban agriculture continues to receive recognition from national organizations. Will Allen, the founder of Growing Power in the heart of Milwaukee, Wisconsin recently received a MacArthur Fellowship (a.k.a. genius grant) and is currently nominated for the Natural Resources Defense Council's 2009 Growing Green award.

As the Queen City continues to grapple with its changing identity lets hope that leadership will be able to recognize the potential that is gaining national prominence and attention from the White House to the row house.

http://www.nrdc.org/health/growinggreen.asp

The Queen City's Potential:

rod@queencityfarm.org (Rod McCallum) — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 14:59:00 +0000

An Urban Farmer is Rewarded for His Dreams

At home in Buffalo.

rod@queencityfarm.org (Rod McCallum) — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:07:00 +0000

A balanced take on Buffalo's situation.

Spring Schedule

rod@queencityfarm.org (Rod McCallum) — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 18:12:00 +0000

We have our first intern. Karen has professional experience as an environmental scientist and planner in Buffalo and the Boston area. She is currently working to complete a Phase I environmental analysis of the farm property. Thanks Karen!

Thanks to everyone who came out to the last work day. We had 15 people show up and we removed 3 tons of rubble in about 2 hours. Phenomenal!!

I hope spring fever is catching. I know I have got it bad. We are getting things ready for the season. We will be planting about a quarter-acre this year and working to clear and maintain the rest of the property. Starting this Saturday, April 12th, we will be working every Saturday beginning at 9am. On May 3rd we will plant 40+ street trees around the entire block in collaboration with Re-Tree WNY's spring planting.

We need a chipper for mulching the many dying trees and the overgrowth that needs to be cleared for crop beds. If you have a chipper that you can lend to the project please contact me via email (rod@queencityfarm.org) or phone (207-9327).

This weekend. Wear boots and bring gloves if you have them. We need to pick up trash and move tree branches for making some beds.

QCF Volunteer Opportunity

rod@queencityfarm.org (Rod McCallum) — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 01:12:00 +0000

This Saturday, March 1st at 9:00 am we will be cleaning out what will be the temporary headquarters for QCF. Meet at 195 Glenwood Avenue (one block north of Utica on the back side of the Engel Mansion). If you have them, bring work gloves, a dust mask and a square tip shovel. We'll bring coffee and donuts for those who like to indulge from time to time. See you there!

The winter has been eventful for QCF. We started the cold season by receiving our incorporation papers from New York State. We are now an official charitable corporation. We are working on the 501(c)3 tax exempt status from the IRS.

Our second major event of the winter was the purchase of our first parcel on the farm property. This parcel came with a house at the City of Buffalo's tax sale last fall. We received the deed and will soon begin renovations on the house. We are also planning our first planting season on this parcel. We will share details as they become available but plan on a few work days to clear trees and brush from the property.

Thanks to everyone for your continued support.

QCF, CAO and Urban Tree Nurseries

rod@queencityfarm.org (Rod McCallum) — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 13:58:00 +0000

I am proud to announce that Queen City Farm is teaming up with the Community Action Organization's Environmental Justice Office to establish an urban tree nursery at the CAO Headquarters at 70 Harvard Place and we need your help! Tomorrow, October 12th at 1:00 we need you to assemble at 70 Harvard and lend a hand to plant saplings that we will nurture to maturity so that they can be transplanted throughout the city in parks and on streets. This is the first site in an innovative program that utilizes Buffalo resources and talent to produce the trees we need to fully recover from the October Storm.

Also, QCF friend and board member George Winfield will make an attempt to set the world record for gravedigging. George will work throughout the day on October 31st to make a powerful statement for peace and justice in our communities, our nation, and our world. You are invited to spread the word and show your support by showing up while he digs a standard size grave by hand. Please contact we with and questions or contributions to this event and I will put you in touch with George.

Thank you all for your support and we will see you tomorrow to plant some baby trees.

Boarding the Engel/Amigone House

rod@queencityfarm.org (Rod McCallum) — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 13:18:00 +0000

We had a fantastic day boarding up the Engel/Amigone house and erecting a sign for 50 Women with a Vision. We had about 15 volunteers come out to paint, cut and hang boards to protect the Engel/Amigone house this winter. We also painted over the graffiti on the front of the house. Special thanks to Michael Gainer and Buffalo ReUse for their support on this project.

The midday rain stopped us from finishing the entire house so watch for details on our next event to finish the job. Meanwhile, check out more pictures from the day at Buffalo ReUse's Flickr page.

From the Engel/Amigone House we went over to Woodlawn and Jefferson to erect a sign for 50 Women with a Vision's Jefferson Community Cultural Art Park. You have to stop by and check out the vision these phenomenal women have for this corner. We are proud to have been a small part of the effort and look forward to a continued relationship with this exciting organization.

This Saturday, Collaborative Work Day!

rod@queencityfarm.org (Rod McCallum) — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 14:48:00 +0000

This Saturday, October 6th, beginning at 10 a.m., Queen City Farm will team up with Buffalo ReUse and Fifty Women with a Vision to work for stronger neighborhoods and we need your help. We'll be heading to the future home of the farm, 194 East Utica to board up and secure the Engel/Amigone House for the winter. We'll be painting, beautifying, and boarding. Bring your artistic and kinesthetic talents and lend a hand. Murals and board ups, a great way to start the weekend.

At 1 p.m. we'll take a stroll down Utica and help Fifty Women with a Vision kick-off their exciting new Cultural Art Park. Their vision is to create an outdoor cultural museum that celebrates cultural diversity and they need help erecting their sign to increase their visibility in the community. The park is going to be located on the corner of Jefferson and Woodlawn, anyone with a vision is welcome to join us.

We'll see you there.

Farming the Concrete Jungle

rod@queencityfarm.org (Rod McCallum) — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 02:32:00 +0000

Farming the Concrete Jungle

This article was forwarded by a QCF supporter and volunteer. Thanks Hank! It outlines the urban ag movement and highlights a lot of what we are planning and why we are jumping in with both feet. Don't miss the reference to our friends on the west side at MAP.

A brief update: We have been working diligently on planning and drafting our proposal to present to the city. We hope to bring these efforts to a close in the near future and move toward some work on the farm. I'll keep you posted. For now, check out this great article.

http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/3297/farming_the_concrete_jungle/

Grace and peace.

Thank You Volunteers

rod@queencityfarm.org (Rod McCallum) — Sat, 28 Jul 2007 00:57:00 +0000

Our first clean up day turned out to be a grand success. We were nervous about the weather but the sun came out early in the afternoon and by the time we got to the Engel/Amigone House the ground and the foliage was dry. Several volunteers came out to trim the hedges, cut back the foliage, remove some nasty vines from the house and make the place look much more presentable. Take a look at the before and after pics below. Thanks to Becky, Kirk, Laura, Hank, Jason, my lovely wife Meghan, Roshawn and Deandre for all the work. We worked from 3-5 and enjoyed some greasy pizza at the end. It was a beautiful evening. Stay tuned, our next work day will be to board up some open windows and paint over the graffiti on the Engel/Amigone House.

Becky (left) and Rod (right) get started on the hedges.
Yes, we were using hand pruners and we won't do it that way again.

Check out those hedges! From left to right:
Rod, Jason, Kirk, Laura and Hank... thanks folks.
Not pictured: Roshawn (he was still weed whacking),
Deandre (mowing somewhere off camera) and Meghan (taking the pic).

P.S. You may have noticed that I have started referring to 194 E Utica as the Engel/Amigone house. Those of you who have been following this project know that Louis Engel, a produce merchant, built the house in 1889. I have added Amigone because a large branch of the Amigone family tree owned and occupied 194 from the 1920's through the 1960's. The picture in an earlier post from the 1950's was sent to me by the grand daughter of Nicholas Amigone who was a green grocer, a restaurateur and, while living at 194, the owner of a coal sales and delivery business.

Whistle While You Work

rod@queencityfarm.org (Rod McCallum) — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 17:12:00 +0000

We have spent some time behind the scenes for the last few weeks but we are ready to get our hands a little dirty. This Friday, July 27th we will be working on the farm site from 3-5 pm. We will pickup trash, clear some overgrowth and finish with some pizza. Meet at 194 E Utica Street at 3 pm. RSVP to Rod at rod@queencityfarm.org. Please include the number of people and a list of landscaping tools (trimmers, saws, chipper, etc.) you will bring. See you there!

194 circa 1950

rod@queencityfarm.org (Rod McCallum) — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 14:37:00 +0000

I just received this picture from a new friend whose grandparents owned 194 from the 1920s through the 1960s. There isn't a date on this image but some others she sent were dated 1950. The trees are breathtaking.

Queen City Farm - film...

noreply@blogger.com (fix buffalo) — Sun, 03 Jun 2007 22:06:00 +0000

Here's the short film from John Paget about Queen City Farm. Film features Aaron Bartley, Sheila Bass, Diane Picard, Samina Raja, Erin Sharkey, Tim Tielman, Cynthia Van Ness and more.

Let us know what you think and thanks for spreading the word.

Eat Your Heart Out Hollywood

rod@queencityfarm.org (Rod McCallum) — Tue, 22 May 2007 17:05:00 +0000

Our fabulous local documentary filmmaker, John Paget, has finished a short film about some of the problems facing our fine city and some solutions. We presented the film, entitled Let's Grow Buffalo!, for the very first time last night at our Groundbreaking Campaign Kickoff.

I would like to thank those who participated in the film:
Aaron Bartley, Executive Director, PUSH Buffalo
Sheila Bass, Nutrition Coordinator, Cornell Cooperative Extension Erie
Diane Picard, Growing Green Program Director, MAP
Samina Raja, Assistant Professor, UB Dept. of Urban and Regional Planning
Erin Sharkey, Outreach Coordinator, MAP
Tim Tielman, Executive Director, Campaign for Buffalo
Cynthia Van Ness, President, Preservation Coalition

A special thanks to Ron Graham and Alex Graham of Mead Supply, Inc.

Thank You!

rod@queencityfarm.org (Rod McCallum) — Tue, 22 May 2007 15:49:00 +0000

Thanks to everyone who came out to the Groundbreaking Campaign Kickoff last night. We had an elegant evening at the Greater Buffalo Savings Bank with food, drinks, a Chinese auction and great music provided by DJ Zuk. It was wonderful to meet so many people who have been watching this project and cheering us on. Thanks again to all who came out. Stay tuned for pics and the latest on news and events.

Grace and peace.

Groundbreaking Campaign

rod@queencityfarm.org (Rod McCallum) — Mon, 14 May 2007 11:23:00 +0000

Queen City Farm would like to request your presence at the Groundbreaking Campaign Kickoff. The event is being sponsored by Greater Buffalo Savings Bank and will be held at their former Pierce-Arrow showroom branch on the corner of Main Street and Jewett Parkway in Buffalo. There will be a silent auction of original artwork reflecting Buffalo's unique heritage. We will also present, for the very first time, a short film that local documentarian, John Paget, has been working on for us. Come out and enjoy an evening of film, art and local food.

Date: Monday, May 21st 2007
Time: 5:30-7:30 pm
Location: Greater Buffalo Savings Bank, Main and Jewett, Buffalo

See you there!

"I'm in love..."

rod@queencityfarm.org (Rod McCallum) — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 13:20:00 +0000

So, a couple weeks ago I got an email from a person I don't know. This has been happening a lot since we've been online. I open the email and it's the County Executive's Assistant requesting a meeting. Well, okay. So, I meet with Joel Giambra and his Commissioner of Environment and Planning, Drew Eszak. I explain the farm, our goals and vision.

Joel: "I'm in love with this project."

Rod: "Great!"

Joel and Drew: "We will look for resources we can bring to this project."

Rod: "Great!"

And they all lived happily ever after. At least until Rod got sick while on vacation but that's another story.

Anyway, Queen City Farm's newest partner is the County of Erie and we're happy to have them on board. Commissioner Eszak mentioned two facts in our meeting that I did not know. We have the largest urban nature preserve in the country and the largest urban wind farm in the country is currently under construction right here. Why don't more people know about this? We need to make these things known and continue moving forward, pushing the envelope and taking advantage of our assets. Assets like wind, surplus land and surplus housing. These are assets that we have considered liabilities for far too long. Let's foster a paradigm shift and use our liabilities as assets.

Grace and peace.

Mark Your Calendars

rod@queencityfarm.org (Rod McCallum) — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 22:43:00 +0000

Queen City Farm will be hosting its Groundbreaking Campaign Kickoff event on May 21, 2007 at 5:30 pm. The Kickoff is being sponsored by Greater Buffalo Savings Bank and will be held in their former Pierce-Arrow showroom branch at 2421 Main Street. Invitations will be sent out in the next few weeks. Contact me if you know people who would like to attend so that we can get an invitation out to them.

QCF Apparel

rod@queencityfarm.org (Rod McCallum) — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 17:07:00 +0000

Want to support QCF but can't come up with 100 bucks? Check out our new Queen City Farm online store. All proceeds from purchases go directly to the QCF Groundbreaking Campaign. Products are still being added so don't forget to check back on a regular basis.

Peace

Internet Connections

rod@queencityfarm.org (Rod McCallum) — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 16:23:00 +0000

Technology is making things happen in Buffalo according to the Buffalo News. The front page of todays paper brings attention to a couple that moved to Buffalo after looking at the photography site flickr. Turn to page two and learn about a humble school administrator with dreams of urban agriculture dancing in his head. Read the full article and stay tuned for an update on some exciting developments over the next couple days.

Grace and peace.

QCF Goes Hollywood

rod@queencityfarm.org (Rod McCallum) — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 10:57:00 +0000

There has been a whirlwind of activity around Queen City Farm the last couple days. I spent the better part of this week with John Paget, local documentarian - Paget Films - shooting interviews for a QCF promotional film. WNY is blessed with a wealth of knowledge and experience with regard to food systems, community development, and preservation. We met so many dedicated individuals at the peak of their field. We are continuing to work on the film and will keep you posted on its progress. Contact me if you would like to host a screening.

An astonishing fact that came out during our interviews was that more than 40 percent of the nations food was grown in the largely urban victory garden movement during World War II. The potential for cultivation of super-local foods in the city of Buffalo is staggering with freshness and quality that your local supermarket can only dream of.

We have begun our Queen City Farm Groundbreaking Campaign. Our goal is to collect 500 tax-deductible donations of $100. This will allow us to complete the exterior of the Engel House and bring heat into the home before another Buffalo winter. It is vital to the project that we halt the deterioration of the Engel House before it is exposed to another freeze. Checks should be made payable to "MBCC - Queen City Farm" and sent to:

Queen City Farm
c/o Rod McCallum
187 West Utica Street
Buffalo, New York 14222

Thank you to everyone who has worked tirelessly to lend their knowledge and support to the Queen City Farm.

Check out the QCF article in this week's Artvoice - A City Bountiful

To sign up for our mailing list email your contact information to me at: rod@queencityfarm.org.

Grace and peace.