All Entries Tagged With: "green NoCo"
Mobile farmers market rolling into NoCo soon
Aiming to bring fresh produce to local "food deserts," the Sappington Farmers Market runs a mobile farmers market at various locations throughout St. Louis.
According to the USDA, my house in Ferguson is nearly surrounded by food deserts. That’s what you call the census tracts with low access to a large grocery store, and thereby low access to fresh fruits and vegetables.
A good chunk of North County, particularly near the airport and the St. Louis city border, is classified this way, meaning residents have fewer healthy eating choices. So that’s why it’s pretty awesome that the Sappington Farmers Market has decided to do something about it.
Teaming with Metro Transit and a network of small-scale farmers from Missouri and Illinois, Sappington’s Farm to Family Naturally Mobile Market will soon make regular stops at four Metrolink stations, including the North Hanley station right here in NoCo.
Drop by once a week and you can choose from a whole range of local and sustainable products, including eggs, produce, herbs, beans, jams, cheeses, baked goods and more. You can also sign up for the market’s Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, actually purchasing a share of the coming season’s crops.
Of course, I’m lucky to have the Ferguson Farmers Market and the indoor Vine Market within walking distance of my front door, so I’m not exactly in the Sahara. But I think it’s great that this new market is opening, and I can’t wait to try it out! I especially love the payment options: cash, credit/debit & EBT. Something for everyone.
By the way, if you want to know if YOU live in a food desert, you can use this handy tool from the USDA. From what I can tell looking at the map, at least the folks in Florissant are eating well…
The Farm to Family Naturally Mobile Market arrives at the North Hanley Metrolink station Wednesdays, 3-5:30pm, starting March 21. All are welcome! For more info, check out the mobile market website.
EarthDance graduates growing 8 new projects
Jody Vogler, an apprentice in EarthDance Farms' 2011 training program, is one of eight "sophomore farmies" launching independent projects this year.
If you’re a gardener, chances are you’re spending these winter months planning and dreaming. The colorful new seed catalogs have started to arrive, and those barren patches in your yard are just waiting for the new possibilities of spring.
Here in Ferguson, even Missouri’s oldest organic farm is still sleeping, but that doesn’t mean the good folks of EarthDance Farms haven’t been busy. In fact, these nonprofit stewards have educated dozens of St. Louisans in the ways of organic farming and small farm management, and now eight of their 2011 apprentices are returning the favor.
During 2012, these “sophomore farmies” will continue to work in the fields at Mueller Farm and sell their produce at local farmers markets, but they will also pursue independent projects of their own. I don’t know about you, but it makes me very happy knowing that so many neat people are converging and creating just a few blocks away. Here’s what they’ll be up to in the coming months…
- Judy Vogler plans to cultivate a traditional Native American “Three Sisters” garden, featuring heirloom corn, squash, and beans.
- Early riser Ann Owens will continue to make early morning trips to the greenhouse. As Greenhouse Coordinator, she will create a guide to greenhouse pest management to be utilized by future classes of first-year farmies.
- Laura Vetter will explore natural crafting with plants and other found items on the farm.
- Katrina Gillespie will develop displays to inform visitors about Mueller Farm’s rich history.
- Faith Labeaume will study herbs as medicine.
- Anna Gall will help train new marketeers at the Ferguson Farmers Market.
- Engineering student Maria Stoica will investigate permaculture design at the farm.
- And Tim McHale will help keep EarthDance blooming as he supervises flower production this year.
Pretty cool, huh? For more info on EarthDance and how you too can get involved in the fun, visit the EarthDance Farms website or call the office at (314) 521-1006.
Photo Essay: Dave Naumann’s Native NoCo
An adventurer at heart, local attorney Dave Naumann likes going off the beaten path to explore the hidden natural areas of North County.
As the year closes out and I look back at all the reasons I’ve had to be grateful in 2011, I can’t help but think of you, dear NOCO readers. Since I launched this blog two years ago, I’ve gotten to meet so many amazing people, both here in North County and throughout St. Louis. Hundreds of you have emailed with story ideas or insightful comments, and quite a few have even offered to help. Thank you!
One of those generous “helpers” is David Naumann, a Florissant attorney and lifelong NoCo resident whose passion is hiking and biking North County’s many unspoiled pockets of wilderness. Dave knows the area’s trails and hidden pathways probably better than anyone, and lucky for us, he always brings a camera along.
He has been offering to share his images for months now, and I finally got a chance to pull them all together. I have to admit, some of them are so gorgeous, they even made me wonder if they’re really in North County. But of course they are!
Many thanks to Dave Naumann for these beautiful photos, and to everyone who read NOCO and supported North County this year! You are truly appreciated!! Enjoy…
The Gardens of NoCo: Barclay & Kelly Compton
Florissant resident Barclay Compton, owner of the landscape design firm Landworks, Inc., is an expert at designing & building unique water gardens.
The trees may be bare and the temperatures plummeting, but at the Florissant home of Barclay and Kelly Compton, water features create a delightful atmosphere even in the winter months. NOCO contributor Jo Batzer visited there in the fall and now takes us on a tour of this unique North County garden…
It’s a garden you hear before you see…the sound of water cascading over large rocks, water bubbling out of stones, water flowing and winding through boulders and under trees. Approaching the front of this home, you find yourself stepping over a flowing stream bridged by a large stone to reach the front door. Water is everywhere here, from the ponds and waterfalls all around the home to the Missouri River in the distance. This water garden paradise in northwest Florissant is home to Barclay and Kelly Compton, who run their landscape and water garden business, Landworks, Inc., from their home.
Growing up in NoCo, both Compton and Kelly wanted a large piece of property to run the business from. In 1997, they found 20 acres that overlooks the Missouri River and built the first water garden just outside the front door in 1999. The 3000 gallon front water feature uses an 8000 gallons per hour pump to keep things moving.
Around the side of the house and again crossing a stream, you reach a large patio with a seating area, bar and hot tub surrounding an impressive freestanding, stone fireplace. Cedar log piers support the hearth above the stream that flows underneath as it winds along the length of the patio, leading to the main water feature in back.
This amazing large 6000 gallon pond has two 10,000 gph pumps that allow water to cascade down the rocky bluff into a large pond full of koi and goldfish. Among the large boulders are spruce, and assorted native trees creating a perfect, natural backdrop. “Water art” here and there give an unique look. The Comptons like to add tropical plants including banana trees (Musa sp.) and elephant ears (Colocasia sp.) in the warm seasons. In the fall, the changing colors along the bluff highlight the bright colors of the koi and goldfish down below.
It would be hard for anyone’s inner child to miss the 60-foot slide coming down the side of the bluff and ending in the swimming pool. Another 100-foot slide takes you down from the pool area to the field below. The Compton kids, Kyle (10) and Courtney (8) are also lucky enough to have a creative playground built by dad just beyond the pool area. For the adults, a tiki bar and outdoor grilling and dining area offer all the comforts of inside, but with an unequaled view of the waterfalls and the river under the stars or sunny skies.
Despite having all the large water features, maintenance is only 15 minutes per pond per week according to Barclay. Water gardening like regular gardening, does have its own unique challenges and problems. Like many other metro area water gardeners are finding, minks are becoming a problem and can help themselves to fish as has happened with a few of the Compton’s unfortunate koi last year. Herons and egrets can also feast on fish if precautions aren’t taken.
Still, water gardening is a great way to enjoy nature and can be very low maintenance. For anyone considering a water feature, Barclay recommends visiting local pond stores for knowledgeable staff to answer questions (such as Chalily on Manchester, where Barclay installed the front landscape displays).
Another great resource in the area is the St. Louis Water Garden Society. The SLWGS host an amazing Pond-O-Rama pond tour every summer. The Comptons are regulars on the tour which can be very rewarding, but also stressful. According to Barclay, one year the front ponds were scheduled to be on the tour. A month before, they decided to add the backyard pond which wasn’t complete yet.
“Working day and night while still running the business during the day was a huge challenge for us. The last rock was placed at 10:00 pm the night before the tour and the pond finished filling up just hours before the tour started. Talk about cutting it too close!”
Running a business from home can be difficult at times, but it can also save time to have office and home all in one place according to the Comptons. (Even the entrance to the office has its own ‘Bubbler’ water feature just outside the door!) Living among all the creative inspiration at home has no doubt helped this family owned business create unique outdoor living spaces for clients for more than 20 years.
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Jo Batzer has lived in North County most of her life and is excited to be a part of the NOCO team. She has worked in the horticulture and florist industries for over 25 years and is the garden leader at Twillman House Community Garden. Jo lives and gardens in the Spanish Lake area with her husband, two sons and two dogs. She is also available for private garden consultations through her new company, JB Design.
Are you getting ready for the big day? NOCO is a proud sponsor of the 3rd annual Live Well Ferguson 5K