Bad Seeds Do Good: Urban Farmers Transform Kansas City’s Landscape
Urban farming is not a new concept, but it’s sure becoming trendy (a wonderful trend, in our opinion!). We hope conscious-minded city dwellers continue to turn dead space into green space. In fact, some urban farmers have mastered the art of urban farming and are branching out, providing additional services for pro-local food movers and shakers. BADSEED has done just that.
Brooke Salvaggio founded BADSEED in Kansas City, Missouri, around 2007. Before founding the urban farm, Salvaggio left the Midwest to travel the world. After a lot of soul searching, she discovered what she truly wanted most – to return home. Salvaggio’s partner in business and life, Daniel Heryer, married into the company in 2009.
Originally, BADSEED was a 2.5-acre mini farm in South Kansas City. The farm moved (because of city zoning issues) to and still resides at a 13.5-acre farm known as URBAVORE.
We asked Salvaggio to expand on BADSEED/URBAVORE’s summer plans and offerings:
“We are madly expanding our diversified urban farmstead and city-wide composting program. We have built a permanent farmstand on-site out of materials harvested from the farm and will be adding a sod roof in a couple weeks. It’s really cool!! The farm is now complete with several acres in organic veggie production, another two acres in antique apples and pears, a freshly planted peach orchard, free-ranging chickens, ducks, and geese. We’ve also got new strawberry plots laid out and are about to lay out plots for asparagus and blackberries. As far as infrastructure goes, we are in the design phase for our earth-contact net-zero home. We hope to break ground this season!”
As if that weren’t enough, the couple also teaches and sponsors classes. “It is our aim to teach urban dwellers to ‘take their lives back’ through hands-on workshops focused on agrarian/traditional skills.”
For readers near KC, the URBAVORE farmstand opens June 2nd, 2:00 – 6:00 pm. Enjoy veggies, fun and site tours. Also of note: BADSEED has double food stamp dollars at the farmstand and BADSEED Market.
Check out BADSEED’s farmers market schedule, CSA information and apprenticeship programs.
Resources:
http://www.badseedkc.com/farm/our-organic-farm/the-bad-seeds/
http://www.badseedkc.com/farm/
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