Midway local foods movement readying for abundant 2014

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Feat3_14MidwayFoods Even though a few feet of snow still cover any sign of tillable land, Hamline Midway local food activists are planning new ways for more neighbors to grow their own food. Residents grow their own produce and enjoy the many community gardens in the Midway area. (Photo by Kyle Mianulli)[/caption]

By VALERIE STEFFL

Even though a few feet of snow still cover any sign of tillable land, Hamline Midway local food activists are planning new ways for more neighbors to grow their own food.

Hamline Midway and surrounding area is home to a vibrant local foods scene made up of the Gardening Matters’ Midway Local Foods Resource Hub, Hamline Midway Local Foods Project Group, Midway Green Spirit and Hamline-Thomas community gardens.

The soon-to-be Frogtown Farm is another major resource that is looking to sprout this year. Community members have worked tirelessly in conjunction with the City of Saint Paul, the Trust for Public Land and the Wilder Foundation to acquire a 12.7-acre plot of land for a public park. Five and half of those acres will be a dedicated urban farm.

Frogtown Farm is currently seeking monetary support from local residents in order to become an inclusive place for learning and a local healthy food system. The first phase of the farm is set to begin this summer with a working farm ready in Summer 2015. Check the Frogtown Farm website for ways to get involved and for information on their summer/fall ribbon cutting celebration this year.

Erin Pavlica, founding member and treasurer of Midway Green Spirit Community Garden has been involved in the neighborhood’s sustainable food efforts for over 12 years and has seen recent growing involvement.

“I think people are realizing it’s healthier and cheaper to have access to food in your backyard,” Pavlica said. “A lot of lower income families need the food in order to supply their families.”

Gardening Matters, a Metro-wide organization, supports the Midway Local Foods Resource Hub, which provides affordable seeds and plants that people need to start growing their own food.

Mallory Morken, of Gardening Matters, sees the hub as more than a place to get supplies, but also as a space for community support and collaboration.

“ is also organizing monthly gatherings called Community Food Forums to do just that—highlight the good work already happening, and bring people together to network, collaborate, dream, and scheme,” Morken said. “We're also trying to make it easy for people to collaborate at the events on bulk orders like fruit shrubs, mulch, or any other garden resource.”

Registration for the resource hub is available now directly through Gardening Matters’ website, www.gardeningmatters.org.

Saint Anthony Park Community Council and Hamline Midway Coalition’s Transportation and Sustainability Coordinator Lauren Fulner is at the center of the neighborhood’s local food scene. She is working to bring new life to the Hamline Midway Local Foods Project Group.

“Hamline Midway is a great place for sustainable food because the people involved have above average neighborhood pride and have passion and energy to get things done,” Fulner said.

With the new formalized HMC staff capacity and money dedicated to the project group, Fulner hopes to work with the Midway Local Food Resource Hub and committed community members on specific and distinct projects such as a local foods wiki map and fruit tree seedling distribution.

Pavlica and Fulner both highlighted the collective community interest in a shared commercial kitchen space for classes, canning, fermenting or upcoming chefs or bakers. Work is underway to make that a reality, as well.

If you have a specific foods project in mind or are interested in working with the Hamline Midway Local Foods Project Group, email Lauren Fulner at lauren@hamlinemidway.org.

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