The growing season is winding down at the Ecolibrium3 Urban Farm, and the first frost has arrived! Before we wrap up another season at the farm, we’re taking a moment to celebrate the many community members, students, and partners who visited us throughout the year. This year, our Farm Saturdays program series hosted 18 free workshops and events and welcomed more than 150 visitors who explored the farm, connected with our team, and learned more about the food growing in their community. We are so thankful to everyone who stopped by and helped make the farm such a welcoming place this season!
We also welcomed more than 180 participants through group visits and educational programs. Lake Superior College’s Ecology and Sustainability classes visited the farm for guided tours, and students from UMD’s Sustainable Food Systems class explored the connections between farming, sustainability, and local food systems. We also enjoyed visits from YMCA KeyZone kids in grades K–5, Lincoln Park Middle School’s 8th-grade Family and Consumer Sciences class, Harbor City, and other community groups. From young students getting hands-on learning about farming to college students exploring sustainable food systems, these visits gave people an opportunity to learn, ask questions, and connect with where their food comes from. We are grateful to all of our community partners for helping make the farm a place for learning and connection!
While the farm has been busy welcoming visitors, the crops have been showing us that fall is here. With shorter days and colder temperatures, our tropical crops like basil, tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers can’t get the growing conditions they need to continue producing fruit. Then came the first frost, marking another big change at the farm and signaling that it’s time to say goodbye to our summer crops.
