locally-grown

A Growing Business

Two of the nicest people you could ever meet also happen to be two of the smartest and innovative entrepreneurs in the area. Lydia and Francey are the force behind Mill City Grows, the Lowell, Massachusetts-based enterprise that is bringing community gardening and urban food production to the city and surrounding area. Their mission: “Mill City Grows fosters food justice by improving physical health, economic independence and environmental sustainability in Lowell through increased access to land, locally-grown food and education.” Please visit their web site: http://www.millcitygrows.org

Back to Francey and Lydia though, both of whom, along with their husbands, are thoroughly invested in the community and its success. I have had the opportunity to follow them around to a few of their projects for the Merrimack Valley Magazine and the Local Farming photo essay that I did last year. Yesterday afternoon they dropped by my studio to pose for some shots at The Big Doors. Please do visit their web site to see what’s growing!

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Francey Slater and Lydia Sisson of Mill City Grows

Francey Slater and Lydia Sisson of Mill City Grows

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Locally Grown - One More Time

Just as I have done the past two years, I spent some time this summer visiting small local farms and farm-related training events, mostly for the New Entry Sustainable Farming Project. This year I got to revisit a few of the farmers that I had met in previous years, this time at their new, larger farms. You may recognize a few people from both my portfolio and some of my previous blogs. One couple that I met in Dracut, Massachusetts, last year now has a farm in Groton, as well as a new addition to their family! Congratulations!

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By way of showing how the food progresses from the farm to the table, I also visited the new packing station for the Lowell CSA, or Community Supported Agriculture project. Clearly a growing and well-run organization.

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