Fall marks the end of another great season at the Eco3 Urban Farm. As the team works to clear fields, compost the last remnants of produce in the ground, and tend to tools before frost settles in and snow follows, we can now appreciate everything the farm crew accomplished this summer.
From April through October, our farm crew grew and harvested over 5100 lbs of fresh produce—literally tons of food! This volume included common staples like zucchini, tomatoes, lettuce, onions, and carrots, along with some unique, delicious offerings of kohlrabi, cucamelons, ground cherries, and more. Over 500 lbs of cucumbers flourished in our high tunnels all summer long as our most massive crop, and our selection of savory herbs, such as basil, Mexican marigold mint, and dill, were our lightest harvest with over 80 pounds grown this season.
Just as important as what we grew is why and for whom we grew food. With every pound harvested, our mission of providing agricultural education, community building, and food access inspired our efforts.
The farm was a place of learning and sharing through a variety of workshops and tours this season. Over the months, our Farm Manager Starr Brainard taught almost a dozen workshops ranging from seed starting to mushroom cultivation to at-home soil science. These sessions featured hands-on lessons about growing the healthiest produce at home and offered a wealth of knowledge in farm and plant science. Each workshop, and even visits during the week, included tours from the crew, who were always excited to show off everything the farm had to offer.
Beyond our workshops, we also hosted events to welcome and connect the community. Individuals and volunteer groups visited the farm this year to learn more about our crops and help us maintain the space by weeding, spreading compost, and planting seeds. We invited Lake Superior College students to make use of the last of our produce in a massive gleaning event, where over 900 pounds of produce were harvested by the students themselves. We curated a Summer Sampler event, inviting people to explore the fields, play games, and sample fresh produce and homemade dishes sourced from our farm. It’s exciting to see how our cozy corner of the LSC campus provides ample space for scavenger hunts, volunteering, and connection with the soil and our community.
Our greatest and most thrilling achievement this year was, of course, all the food we shared in the community. Through our weekly presence at the Central Hillside Farmer’s Markets, we sold around 2900 pounds of fresh produce, making use of SNAP and additional programs Community Action Duluth provides to support SNAP recipients like Power of Produce (POP) Club to maximize the amount of food people could afford. We then donated our unsold produce to CAD and CHUM alongside our other frequent donations to support programs and services like Duluth Center for Women & Children’s Nourish meal-kit initiative and CAD’s Free Grocery Days. Overall, we donated over 1800 lbs of produce to these food access programs that provided free or affordable meals and food to the community.
Now, as our farm staff works to prepare the farm for winter, we can say we’re immensely proud of everything we’ve produced, from vegetables to a more knowledgeable and connected community. Please tell us what you appreciated most, so we can better understand how to continue providing the greatest impact, and tell us what you’d like to see growing on the farm next year. In 2026, we look forward to delivering even more herbs, leafy greens, fruit, squash, and fresh produce off the vine. We hope we can welcome even more people to come learn with us and get their hands dirty, and we hope to put the profits of this year’s markets towards more growth and opportunity on and off the farm.
Stay tuned for more information about Eco3 Urban Farm. Check out the Farm webpage, sign up to volunteer, and follow Eco3 on Facebook and Instagram!