Though my fellow intern Sammi and I were met with challenges this week, I ultimately left with a greater sense of appreciation for the whimsy and the possibility for excitement across the farms.
We began on Monday by undertaking the behemoth that was compost chopping and mixing at Kelly Street Garden in the Bronx. Anyone that has tried to keep their own small-scale compost operation afloat can tell you about the trials and tribulations that inevitably come with the process of decomposing organic matter. However, what most green thumb advocates don’t mention is the potentially horrendous smell of a food scrap bin that has gone almost completely anaerobic on you! It’s possible Sammi and I just needed more time to adjust to the pungent conditions, and our response to the smell was just, but the compost got chopped spread, and mixed just as we were told! One major saving grace for the whole almost 2-hour operation may have been the cocoa shells which were sprinkled atop the chopped and mixed compost mixture once each bin was ready to stew. Not only did this tactic for pest deterrence and soil vitality completely take me by surprise, but it also smelled like the sweetest of all the world’s chocolate relative to the rest of our surroundings.
Along with getting to help with Kelly St.’s composting operation, Sammi and I finally had the chance to meet CCE Urban Agriculture Specialist, Sam Aderson. He gave us a brief but in-depth rundown of how he collects the test samples of plants and soil and explained the significance of the test results for urban farmers and agriculturalists. The below photo is of Sam setting up his low-tech accessible bulk density calculation method using a plastic Tupperware container top, long metal stake pins, a plastic spoon, water, a measuring cup, and a plastic bag. The process through seemingly difficult is quite deceptive and is intended to be accessible to far more urban farmers who want to know more about their soil and how its density may affect the meaning of different lab findings.
We wrapped up this week with a beautiful and sunny day at New Roots in the Bronx where we spent the day signing in community members for food distribution, handing out produce bags, weeding, inspecting pest-effected fruits, harvesting, and walking the land. Although the aforementioned tasks may seem boring or even trivial, I very much enjoyed the movement of the day; the slow pace very much agreed with the 90-degree heat. Going to the Bronx New Roots location always feels like returning to a place akin to home– the windy and whimsical design, intentional or naturally occurring, envelopes you as you get lost throughout the beds. The steady decline so well compliments the organized chaos of crop orientation and the sporadic weeds that choose to pop up wherever they can. Every time I see someone step into the garden for their first time it fills me with joy; they get to experience this joy, the whimsey that the space inspires for the first time, but likely not the last.
