Our New Farm

Breaking ground this year on our 1.3 acre Urban Farm was an exciting milestone for CCUA, allowing us to lay a foundation for sustainable urban food production. Established with permanent vegetable beds, a grove of dwarf fruit trees, honey bee hives, native pollinator gardens and pasture-raised chickens, our Urban Farm produced over 2,000 pounds of fruits and vegetables and 300 pounds of chicken. While these numbers may be impressive, we expect increased efficiency and yields in the coming years. On this farm, we practice organic, notill agriculture with the philosophy that farming should foster a healthy ecosystem. Our unconventional farming practices are reflected in beautiful, healthy and robust harvests. During the growing season, produce was sold to the public three days a week at our on-site farm stand, and to several local restaurants most notably Sycamore and Red and Moe. If you live in Columbia, you cant get any more local than the CCUAs produce; we hope to see you at the farm next year!

r A special thanks to all of ou donors for their continued support this past year!
Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture 214 St. Joseph St. Columbia, MO 65201

Urban Farmers Columbia, MO 65201-4933

2010
Annual Report
Our New Farm A Brief History Educational Programs Opportunity Gardens 2010 Harvest Hootenanny Financial Report
573.514.4174 ColumbiaUrbanAg.org

A Brief History
Originally developed in 2008, the Columbia Center for Urban Agricultures Demonstration Garden hosts over 140 varieties of fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers. The primary objective of the garden is to showcase a diverse number of edible plants that grow in our climate. Tours of the garden are given to groups of all ages and sizes, and to individuals wanting to learn more about sustainable agriculture. In 2010 we established a seasonal self-guided tour of the garden to provide visitors with interesting facts about select features of the garden. irrigation and trellises) and installing perennial plants such as blackberries, asparagus, blueberries and fruit trees. So far, the 2011 season shows great promise for increased production and more marketing outlets.

In early 2010, the CCUA was These three sites provide the pleased to establish its first Urban space for the CCUA to dream Farm, providing a huge jump up, and work on, the projects in scale when compared to the The Demonstration Garden (top left), the Farm Stand that help the organization grow, Demo Garden. The large amount (bottom left), and our offices (right) and further its mission of of space available on the farm cultivating a healthy and vibrant community. enabled us to begin selling produce at an on-site market We would like to thank Mark Stevenson of REMI for every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, in addition to his generous lease agreements on the Demonstration providing a local produce source to various downtown Garden and Urban Farm. Thank you Mark! restaurants. The revenues from 2010 sales have been reinvested into the farm to build infrastructure (e.g. fencing,

Built in 1869 and purchased by board member Adam Saunders in 2009, the Notable Historic Property at 214 Saint Joseph Street serves as the office of the CCUA. Meetings, various workshops, food preservation and construction projects are undertaken at this wonderful, unique downtown residence.

Educational Programs
This year the CCUA experienced exceptional growth in its educational programs. We offered a wonderfully successful workshop series dedicated to all facets of owning and caring for backyard chickens. The topics covered in these workshops ranged from how to care for hens, build a coop and process chickens. We have also had the good fortune to teach school children about the beauty and joys of gardening and raising chickens. On several occasions, we have had visits from Stephens students meet an urban hen Stephens Multiage School and Douglas High School students, during which they participated in fun, interactive lessons. Grant and Milcreek Elementary school children especially enjoyed learning about sprouts and compost! Some older students also got a chance to learn while getting their hands dirty this year; our University of Missouri interns played a major role in

farm maintenance, marketing and in our school programs. Along with the MU interns, volunteers who are always eager to learn and lend a hand formed the backbone of our organization. After a fantastic year of educational programs, next year will be even better, with an expanded classroom presence and new workshops.

Stephens students plant sprouts in their garden

Opportunity Gardens
In 2010, the CCUA started a brand new venture called Backyard Gardens. This for-hire service provides a wide range of gardening and landscaping services for $30 per hour. This fee pays a living wage to an urban farmer, adds to the CCUAs general operating fund, and directly funds our philanthropy project Opportunity Gardens. the year, hosting gardening workshops and demonstrations at the CHA afterschool program, Moving Ahead. This past year, the CCUA also worked with Kilgores Pharmacy to maintain their community garden that provides food for local pre-school Nora Stewart Early Learning Center.

The CCUA makes Opportunity Gardens available to schools and low-income families. Eligible applicants are provided with all of the materials and training to grow food in their own yard, for a small application fee. So far, we have installed two Opportunity Gardens for two different elementary schools. Our goal for 2011 is to install 40 Opportunity Gardens. Thanks to an exciting contract we have secured with PedNet and the Columbia Housing Authority to install raised beds for residents of public housing, we should be able to reach our goal. The CCUA will work with Opportunity Garden recipients throughout

You can help support the CCUA by hiring us for your next gardening or landscaping project, or you can buy an Opportunity Garden for your yard; contact us for a free bid on your next project.

2010 Harvest Hootenanny

The first annual Harvest Hootenanny* was a hit! Over 500 people stopped by to celebrate a successful growing season at the Urban Farm. We served up BBQ chicken, squash and sweet potatoes from our farm. Many local vendors donated food to make a great menu: Patchwork Family Farms bratwurst, Missouri Legacy Beef hamburgers, Uprise Bakery bread, Goatsbeard cheese, wine from St. James Winery and beer from Flat Branch Brewery. Hootenanny guests enjoyed an evening of live music, games and farm tours. had never been to the farm, or even heard of the CCUA before the event, we now have lots of new friends who know about our educational and volunteer opportunities, farm stand and for-hire services.

The Hootenannys purpose, this year, was not a fundraiser, but an open house (however, proceeds from the silent auction, and donations generously provided by the public covered the cost of the event). While many of our visitors

A hootenanny is a farm party usually associated with folk music.

*Fun Farm Fact:

2010 Numbers
by the

Above: Hootenanny guests feed and play with the urban hens Top Right: Columbians enjoy the sights and tastes on the farm

4000 Pounds of Vegetables Grown 300 Pounds of Chicken Meat Grown 690 Visitors Received Farm and Garden Tours 195 Workshop Attendees 9 Visits to Schools, with 425 Students 24 Visits from Schools, with 285 Students 7 Spring MU Service Learning Students 7 Fall Interns 175 Volunteers at our Farm and Garden 2 Visits from Youth in Action, with 12 Youth 8 MU Employee Volunteers 2 Visits from MU Fraternities, with 30 Brothers

Financial Report
1. Contract spans November 2010 to August 2011. 2. Due to the large amount of ground preparation required for our new farm in 2010, we got a late start on planning and planting; we missed opportunities and underutilized the land. Planning and efficiency for 2011 will greatly surpass that of 2010. Produce marketing will be better diversified with the use of certain specialty crops and increased restaurant sales. 3. These expenses are funded by income generated through Backyard Gardens clients and potential grants and donations. 4. This figure includes ten percent ($1,000) of the Sales and Marketing Coordinators salary. 5. This figure includes the Education Coordinators salary ($10,000), half of the Garden Production Coordinators salary ($5,000) and 45% ($4,500) of the Sales and Marketing Coordinators salary. 6. This figure includes the Farm Production Coordinators salary ($10,000), half of the Garden Production Coordinators salary ($5,000) and 45% ($4,500) of the Sales and Marketing Coordinators salary.

Revenue
Grants

Projected 2010

Projected 2011

Contributions/Grants

Contributions Received Total Contributions/Grants

7,244.85 7,244.85 8,083.00 6,000.00 1,211.63 582.00 8,597.76 75.00 804.13

10,300.00 10,000.00 20,300.00 35,100.00 24,000.00 2,000.00 600.00 26,700.00 100.00 100.00
1

Backyard Gardens

Education and Events Hootenanny Workshops Other

CHA Pednet Contract

Production

Total Education and Events Chicken Boarding Produce Sales Total Production

4,135.12 4,210.12 28,135.73

15,000.00 15,100.00 97,200.00

Expenditures

Total Revenue

Board of Directors
President: Adam Saunders Treasurer: Billy Polansky Secretary: Carrie Hargrove Board Members: Dakota Beveridge William Froeschner Jim Hildebrand Eric McDavid Daniel Soetaert Mitch Tucker

Administrative Advertising Insurance Other Total Administrative Backyard Gardens Opportunity Gardens Payroll Expenses Salary Total Backyard Gardens Education and Events CHA PedNet Activities Events Salary School Activities Workshop Supplies Other Total Education and Events Production Chickens Irrigation Salary Seed & Plants Supplies Total Production

369.09 1,736.00 180.82 2,285.91 577.15 3,650.00 4,227.15 3,600.00 1,352.83 64.09 238.00 41.86 5,296.78 624.31 2,037.33 2,034.20

500.00 1,900.00 273.00 2,673.00 7,500.00 17,000.00 1,000.00 25,500.00 14,400.00 1,890.00 19,500.00 500.00 450.00 150.00 36,890.00 950.00 1,200.00 2,500.00
3 4

1 5

19,500.00 3,075.00 27,225.00 92,288.00 4,912.00

Net Surplus

Total Expenditures

2,711.88 7,407.72 19,217.56 8,918.17