Hi all,

I’ve been granted access to a vacant lot in South Philly for the purpose of farming.  It’s about 1/6th of an acre, between 7^th & 8^th, McKean & Snyder streets.  I’m very psyched – this has been a long-term dream of mine.  My vision is to have a participatory and hOURS-based CSA.

 

Lately CSAs have come to mean simply paying a farmer up front in the spring to deliver you a box of veggies every week throughout the growing season.  I want to get back to the original concept of everyone having an ownership stake in the farm.  The idea here is that ownership shares would be obtained simply by putting effort into the farm, doing whatever sorts of farm tasks are needed – planting, harvesting, building cold frames, compost bins, etc.  Everyone can simply log their hours, and whatever proportion of the total your hours comprise, you’re entitled to that proportion of the harvest.  It will be a co-operative venture where everyone is free to choose the level of involvement that suits them.  I’d also like to make the food available to the broader hOURS membership.  (Not to imply one need be in hOURS to participate in the farm, though, by the way.)  If anyone in hOURS wants a share but doesn’t want to get their hands dirty, they could buy someone else’s share by paying them in Hours.  I figure other hOURS m.o.’s and esprits de corps will apply as well, such as a mellowness and generosity, not meticulously weighing out raspberries e.g.; donations of materiel earning a share at a negotiated rate; etc.

 

I see a great synergy and potential in such a meshing of democratic food and democratic money.

 

So, come one, come all.  Anyone who’s into fresh, local, organic food – only your own backyard would be better.  Get in touch and we’ll co-ordinate our efforts.  :)

 

Fred Kittelmann

h_ours@yahoo.com

215-551-1490