Download Growing Power Committed to A Growing Nation

Growing Power
Committed to A Growing Nation
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Rashidah Butler
Service Learning
Project
Geography 125
PLEASE NOTE
THAT SOME SLIDES
INCLUDE VIDEO
AND SOME
INCLUDE AUDIO.
What is Growing Power?
Growing Power is an organization that focuses on the improvement
of people through the development of Community Food Systems.
The Motto Is Simple:
To grow food, to grow minds, and to grow community
"If people can grow safe, healthy, affordable food, if they have
access to land and clean water, this is transformative on every
level in a community. I believe we cannot have healthy
communities without a healthy food system."
-Will Allen
The Chief Executive Officer of Growing Power
How do I feel about my experience at
Growing Power?
The Animals are a huge part of how
the inner-city farm operates
Why do we have them?
Even Old McDonald was most remembered for the animals he had on
his farm. Animals are an important part of any well functioning farm.
Growing Power has:
•Goats- Used to serve the diverse cultures within the communities.
These cultures use goat meat in their traditional diets and holiday
feasts
•Worms and Fishes- Used for the aquaponics, worm casting, etc
•Chickens- Used for the production of farm fresh eggs
•Turkeys and Ducks- Raised for meat production
•Bees- Used to harvest honey and produce beauty products such as
soaps and lip balms
Animals are a huge part of the running of the Milwaukee inner-city
farms
My Most Memorable Experience
Sifting Worm Castings
I Did A Lot Of Topping off Pots
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•
This was one of the
easier things that I had
to do
Basically, I topped off
pots that had already
been filled with soil
Aquaponics
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There are three
Tilapia systems
and six Yellow
Perch aquaponics
systems in the
greenhouses
This systems
grows cops and
fish in a recirculating system
Why is aquaponics important?
Simple- The system that Growing Power uses is cheap and easy to use.
The system filters water and removes bacteria which helps to grow
plants and feed the fish which are used for selling.
The systems goes in a huge circle and each part is useless without the
other.
The filtered
water is
pumped from
the gravel bed
to the growing
beds
Beneficial
bacteria break
down the toxic
ammonia in
fish waste
Water is
drained from
the fish tank
into the gravel
bed
The water is
wicked up to
the crops roots
with the help
of coir
Finally, the
water flows
from the
growing beds
back into the
tank of fish.
The Joys Of Composting
What is compost?
Vermicompost:
At Growing Power, worm compost, is the final product
of the breakdown of organic material by worms.
Worms are used to create a nutrient-rich, organic
fertilizer and soil conditioner that we use on all of
our growing beds and as a value-added product that
Growing Power sells at their store and at farmers'
markets.
Growing Power’s compost is made with recycled food
waste, farm waste, brewery waste, and coffee grinds.
So what does any of this stuff have to
do with what I learned in Geo. 125?
Growing Power is known mostly for their food
production and distribution throughout the
community. More specifically, Growing Power deals
strictly with organic farming and healthy and
affordable food allocation.
In our Geography class, we talked a lot about different
types of organic farming and agriculture. It ties into
Growing Power because at Growing Power, they
stress the importance of teaching people and making
them aware of healthier lifestyle alternatives when it
comes to food consumption.