Posted April 20,2011
Laurie Zook’s backyard in downtown Frederick is more than just a place for a summer barbecue. It’s a yard that will overflow with vegetables, a Community Supported Agriculture garden project on only about a third of an acre. It’s a dream Zook intends to make a go of.
Zook said the yard, at 256 S. Carroll St., known as the Plant Nation of Frederick Urban Growers CSA, is the only CSA in the Frederick urban area.
“It is the only project of its kind in Frederick’s historic district that is meant to build community, help people provide for themselves and have fun, too,” Zook said.
Under the CSA concept, communities of people pledge to support an agricultural operation financially, essentially buying shares in the enterprise, and in return receive produce grown on that farm.
Most CSAs import their food from out of the area and distribute it to their membership — not this one, Zook said.
To make the project work, Zook needs to sell five Community Supported Agriculture shares. The price for a share is $150 through April 22, then $200 after. Zook is supplementing all startup costs and will be reimbursed as members join. The project has three paying members so far. Five additional members will ensure the project has the support needed to go forward with the planned plantings.
“This is not a moneymaking venture for me,” Zook said. “I am $1,200 in the hole right now and have another $1,000 to put into it. There’s a whole ag movement taking place right now and it’s about helping and educating and stocking my refrigerator at the same time.”
For Zook, it’s not a business.
“I’m sharing my land and communal planting makes the best use of the land,” she said.
Almost 1,500 square feet of raised beds will provide vegetables starting in April and continuing through October.
The project could use volunteers as well as a skilled person to set up a 500-gallon rain tank for watering.
Share members are required to give two hours per week in garden maintenance — mulching, weeding, hand debugging, watering, harvesting and cooking. The price of a share is set low to balance the work participation, Zook said. CSAs that provide vegetables and labor run from $350 and up per season. Members will get fresh harvest weekly or biweekly in the summer.
Frederick resident Pamela Borden, a member of the CSA, said she intends to use the project as an avenue for networking as well as for the fresh produce it provides.
“It supports the idea of community obviously in a healthy way, but I’ve lived in Frederick for two years and I intend to use this to meet other people,” Borden said. “Hopefully, the idea will grow from there.”
Borden said Zook seems knowledgeable about organic-based farming.
“She seems very professional and for her, the project is not on a whim,” Borden said. “This is her third year, and I thought it was very reasonably priced.”
With a farm background, Borden said she’s not afraid to get her hands dirty.
“I look forward to the two hours a week and of course, there’s nothing better than growing things,” she said. “It gives you a sense of accomplishment and the potential to get your money’s worth.”
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Copyright © 2011, The Frederick News-Post, Md.
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