Perennializing the Lawrence Community Shelter Farm
In November of 2019, Meghan from LCS asked for some advice about re-establishing the shelter’s garden. Being the landscape nerd I am, I got right to configuring a layout. They wanted to incorporate a Monarch Waystation, which we are establishing on the perimeter. I donated 50 strawberry plants; three everberring varieties and one june bearing. I also provided two thornless blackberry bushes, plant starts, seeds for crops throughout the 2020 growing season, and I helped farm with Lacee and a wonderful crew of volunteers. I’m so happy to have been a part of this project, and I look forward to helping it contiune to grow!
2020: We forced on establishing perennial berries and the Monarch Waystation Trail this year. Outside the fence we also planted sun chokes; a solid 4’ by 10’ row. We had a great group of folks come through and donate pollinator plants. So many were planted! Food production was also great with okra, cherry tomatoes, and basil going late into the season. Potatoes didn’t fare well as we learned more about the soil composition of what we are currently building upon. Quinault, Tristar, and Ozark Beauty strawberries found themselves lined up and sending runners in 3, 10 foot beds with Apache Thornless Blackberries to their north and another lesson in water necessities, three blueberry bushes that didn’t make it. Loads of radishes, arugula, and especially squash made its way into the shelter kitchen.
UPDATE 2021: The Monarch Tiny Dwellings are built! The shelter farm got a new fence with added bunny barriers from the folks at Studio 804 who also built the tiny homes. As construction goes, there was some damage to the existing food and pollinator plantings and a bit of the original pathway was lost, but we are definitely making progress finding the surviving Monarch Waystation plants. As for food production: we’ve got tomatoes, eggplants and peppers in, the three strawberry rows we established last year are giving off fruit, and the thornless blackberries are alive and well. We’ve also planted some culinary sage, tulsi, and purple basil. :)