Happy Birthday LYL COOP FARM

Entry 3/22/2015

Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear LYL Coop, happy birthday to you!

Hooray the farm is one year old! Since the last update three months ago the farm has increased in size yet again, had another positive radio interview, the permaculture design firm implementing the farm began receiving neighborhood support financially to help ensure the success of the establishment of the farm and most importantly this summer the farm will be replicated in an additional town in Washington and in two locations in Montana! Soon the labor body of the farm will be increasing as we are moving to incorporate and work with local at-risk and homeless youth. This permaculture designed agribusiness model will be one of three topics Bruce-Ruhl Design will be sharing at Michael Pilarski’s 2015 design course (see Permie Designers) which is a high accolade to the designers that created it and to the farm itself.

What an exciting few weeks ahead, training inspired youth on how to build the farm, continuing to collect footage for a sustainability TV show to be aired sometime in April, and continuing to prove, yes it can be done, all you truly need is a little bit of sweat and the understanding that there is no time to wait!

Entry 1/1/2015-Our Success So Far

It is hard to believe that in three months LYL Coop Farm will be celebrating its one-year-old ground-breaking birthday.

It is really amazing to think back and to recollect on all that has been accomplished. In the past 9 months we increased our employee size by one. Now there are three people working to own the farm! Property owners have been enthusiastically supportive. Currently LYL Coop Farm has approximately 5-7 acres cumulatively pledged over 13 property sites in 7 Spokane neighborhoods. We have acquired access to heritage and heirloom propagation through seed and cuttings courtesy of many of the participating properties and outside supporters of the farm. This is in addition to a healthy seed bank given to us by outside sources including Sepps Ancient Grain: the Siberian blue corn, a perennial grain. Thank you, Zach Weiss!

In approaching our one year mark it is interesting to note that we have started this industry with zero start-up capital, no grants, receiving very little of the pledged support, and have covered the few farm-related expenses through gleaning. Not sure what an economist would say but we feel this is a successful model. The bottom line is neither red nor black, but a good solid green. The good solid green bottom line is proof to Bruce-Ruhl’s concept that “if it costs green to go green, you are doing it wrong.”

We are looking forward to this spring where we are anticipating to increase the farm staff size again with the addition of at least one more certified permaculture designer and a small handful of work-to-ownership urban farmers.

In conclusion, a giddy farmer has to say to all of those who sarcastically wished us “good luck with that,” in reference to this ambitious endeavor: Luck has nothing to do with it! If you build it, it will stand. If you plant it, it will grow. This requires no luck at all, just honest work in cooperation.