Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to have one-hundred square feet?
No! Any Murray Hill resident with at least 25 square feet is welcome to become a member. If membership rises above 10 families, preference will be given to families with the most land.

Who is going to do all the work?
Me, mostly. I will remove the existing sod and till the soil, install low fencing (to keep out the bunnies), test and amend the soil (to improve fertility), order seeds, plant seedlings indoors, nurture seedlings, transplant seedlings, direct seed some plants, water, weed, trellis, harvest, clean and distribute produce to members. However, ALL HELP WILL BE WELCOME, ANY TIME! Just contact me via phone or email if you are interested in helping out! I will be working a full time job until early June and will be doing most work in the early mornings and late afternoons and weekends. After that point I will have a more varied gardening schedule. Additionally, there will be a Saturday School which will provide opportunities for families and children to help (see FAQ below).


How much will it cost?
To join the Murray Hill Row-by-Row project there is a $35 sign-up fee. This money purchases seeds, soil amendments (blood meal, peat moss, manure, etc), materials for low fencing and other things. When harvest begins, there is a weekly $10 fee for your portion of the vegetables, regardless of amount or type. This period should last approximately 20 weeks, so members can expect to pay about $200 over the course of the year for their entire vegetable intake.

Will it be organic?
To the best of my abilities, yes! Whenever possible, I will buy organic seeds. Practices will model organic farming, using no toxic chemicals or artificial substances to enhance plant growth. No fertilizer will be used in excess and therefore there will be no substantial or hurtful run-off into our local streams and rivers. Personally, I strive to buy organic whenever possible because I care both about the quality of food I eat and the effects that buying non-organic food can have on our environment.

What are the benefits of being involved?
Besides getting fresh, organically-grown vegetables for a low price, there are many other benefits to joining the Murray Hill Row-by-Row project. You would be joining a growing group of people who are interested in overseeing the production of their own food - outside of the factory farming method. Please see the posting recommending further reading to learn about the "Food not Lawns" movement. Additionally, the Murray Hill Row-by-Row project will allow you to watch the many foods you eat grow from seeds to an edible product, something unfamiliar to many of us. Through monthly member meetings and member celebrations, you will experience an enhanced sense of community based on a productive common purpose.


What if I don't have any available land?
There are still opportunities for you to get involved! Depending on membership numbers, work-shares may be available. This would allow the landless to work, instead of provide land, for a share of the vegetables. Additional opportunities are available for a person who would be interested in letting me use an unfinished space like a basement or backyard shed (with electricity) to grow seedlings in. I would also be interested in someone with a greenhouse in place of lawn-space. If you are unsure if there are any opportunities for you, do not hesitate to email me or come along to the meetings.


What kind of vegetables will be grown?
Below is a list of what I plan to grow this season. However, at the sign-up meeting or monthly member meetings, people can suggest different or additional plants for growing.
Arugula
Beans (bush)
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Carrots
Celery
Corn
Cucumbers
Gourds (fall, decorative)
Leeks
Lettuce
Melons
Onions
Peas
Peppers
Potatoes
Pumpkins
Scallions
Spinach
Squash
Swiss Chard
Tomatoes
Watermelons
Basil
Cilantro
Oregano
Parsley
Sage
Thyme
Rosemary
Sunflowers

What should I expect to get?
Each week, members will receive a portion of the vegetables harvested that week. This portion will depend of the number of members: for example, if there are 10 members, each member will receive one-tenth of the weekly harvest. An early spring harvest may include 2 heads of broccoli, a small bag of snap peas and 4 heads of spinach. Later in the year, you may be taking home a pound of tomatoes, a pound of cucumbers, a pound of squash and two bundles of basil a week. As the year draws to an end, you may receive two or three pumpkins and a fall crop of Brussels Sprouts. What and how much is harvested will change according to the season and weather. Some weeks there may be more, some weeks less.

How long will the growing season last?
Approximately 20 weeks, from late-April through September.

Will you use fertilizers?
No chemical fertilizers will be used - only natural soil modifiers like manure, compost, crab chum, peat moss.

How can I get my kids involved?
Depending on membership and interest, I plan to start a Saturday school for interested families. This would allow kids (or anyone, really!) to work with me and receive instruction on how plants grow. This would be a totally hands-on experience: actually planting, weeding and harvesting the vegetables. The cost would be $10 per family, per week.

What will happen to my lawn next year?
Depending on your interests, I can either re-seed your lawn for grass or leave it as-is, with a list of appropriate vegetables to be grown (as the same crop should not be planted year after year in one spot, and some vegetables do particularly well after others!).