Kansas City EMWOT Sponsors Will Allen

Kansas City Hosts Urban Agriculture Pioneer Will Allen

Founder of Growing Power, Inc., teaches aquaponics workshop, gives keynote address.

By Adenike AmenRa

On August 27, Kansas Citians had the opportunity to meet and learn from one of Urban Agriculture’s most prominent innovators and advocates: Will Allen. As Founder and CEO of Growing Power, Allen and a crew of builders, accepted an invitation by Kansas City’s Green Acres Urban Farm and Research Project to spend a day here in town, sharing insights and technologies on the topic of “Abolish Food Deserts.” The day started with a keynote lecture at the Discovery Center in Kansas City, MO, in which Allen discussed some of the production technologies he developed at Growing Power, including aquaponics, composting and year-round production.

Allen also discussed urban agriculture in the broader context of food sovereignty and food deserts.

After attending a reception with youth at the KCMO Bluford Library, Allen spent the afternoon conducting a Master Building Workshop at East High School on Van Brunt Bl. At this event, folks learned to build aquaponics bunk bed systems designed to raise fish and vegetables in a nutrient-cycling unit. More than 30 participants acquired important food production and farming skills which they are able to take back into their communities and pass on to others.

Altogether some 150 people came out throughout the day to listen to, learn from and be inspired by

Allen. Kansas City Mayor Sly James authorized the presentation of the Key to the City to Will Allen,

which was presented by Assistant to the City Manager, Kimiko Black Gilmore. Brook Hollingsworth,

Lincoln University’s first aquaponics graduate, and KCMO councilwoman Sharon Sanders Brooks were

also in attendance.

Will Allen is founder and CEO of Growing Power, Inc., headquartered in Milwaukee, WI, with project

offices in Chicago and Madison. He received a MacArthur Foundation “Genius" Award in 2008, appeared

in Bon Appétit and Oprah Magazines, was named as one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People

in 2010, and appeared in the award-winning documentary FRESH. Among the many urban farmers and

activists inspired by Allen is Kansas City resident Sasteh Mosley, co-founder of the Green Acres Urban Farm and Research Project and CEO of the non-profit organization East Meets West of Troost (EMWOT). Mosley's farming career began in Milwaukee with Will Allen at Growing Power in 1993. Back then he wore many hats including marketing, wholesale purchasing, CSA organizing and Alabama farm research. His Growing Power experience laid solid groundwork for his life work of making the

connections between growing food, community development, and neighborhood empowerment.

The Green Acres' aquaponics project is a partnership between the City of Kansas City, MO, the KCMO

School District and other organizations. This project utilizes campus greenhouses at East High School to

launch an aquaponics program and initiative that will provide fresh food to the community, education, and hands-on learning for students. Through common goals, partnerships and innovative thinking, all

involved in this effort are chipping away at the problems of urban food deserts, compromised educational systems, crime and a lack of jobs. This project will feed people while nurturing their souls through a new connection to food, agriculture and aquaponics.

You can reach Sasteh Meter Mosley and Adenike AmenRa at the Amen Par Ankh (Sacred House of Life) Urban Farm Bales Ave. Kansas City, MO. 64128

amen.parankh@gmail.com 816-839-7945

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Amen.ParAnkh.Farm

For information on EMWOT (East Meets West of Troost)
http://www.emwot.ws/

To learn more about Will Allen's Growing Power -visit:

www.growingpower.org

http://aquaponics.com/page/blog/post/green-acres-kansas-city-aquaponics-project

http://fssg.blogspot.com/2011/09/v-behaviorurldefaultvml-o.html

AMEN ANKH Urban Farm in Kansas City Missouri

 AMEN ANKH URBAN FARM

For Urban Families

Call us For Appointment: (816) 281-7704 

 

 

Welcome to Urban neighborhood! We own an Urban Farm right "in da hood" of Kansas City, MO. There are so many green opportunities to live locally in the Urban communities of Kansas City.  It is so important that Afrikan Americans are models of successful families and property owners.

 

 

 We highly advise growing your own plant based fruits and vegetables as well as  produce like eggs, bees and small animals whenever possible. This way you can build local nutrient-rich organic soil and adhere to sustainable gardening practices for highest food quality. Also, it is often better to purchase foods from local organic farmers markets or from small scale farms as opposed to large chain supermarkets.

A study in 1936, first reported the alarming rate of mineral depletion that modern mono-crop agriculture is having on our food supply. Unfortunately, it takes quite a bit of time to rebuild the soil once it is stripped of essential nutrients, in addition to the fact that it is not "cost-effective" for most big farming operations to invest in mineral supplementation

Today we have much less mineral content in mass-produced foods than we did 50 years ago due to other factors besides poor farming practices. Now, environmental pollutants as well as things like acidic rain are making it harder to replenish our foods (and livestock who eat them) with the minerals we need for our health and well-being.

So this is the best time to live in an urban neighborhood. With the Green Urban Agricultural transformations, growing food is an opportunity to support green economic development. Being able to grow a tomato right on your property, and sell that tomato to your neighbor, is empowering. This cultivates more vocational and positive entrepreneurial skills in our youth, as well as giving access to local, nutritious, healthy, naturally grown foods. The morning invites the neighborhood to stop by the farm. People are walking their dogs, or heading to work, It is a pleasure to be able to share my porch with someone who just walked down the street, and be able to offer a cup of coffee, tea, a smoothie, or a slice of zucchini bread fresh from the oven, or to converse with a driver who slows down, to ask about a tomato or pepper that caught their eye.  At the Amen Par Ankh(Sacred House of Liiving), we share wholistic Healing, Stress and Health counseling, Life Coaching, STE+A+M Education, like growing techniques, Foraging, Food Preservation, Wellness, Jewelry, Mandalas,  Yoga Classes, Meditation and Massage Therapy for wellness in our Indigo community.

Chapter 88-312 is the urban farm ordinance for Kansas City

Facing a stalemate between the food movement and real estate developers, Eastside representatives turned to alternative systems for aid. Former State Representative  and City council member, Sharon Sanders Brooks- along with Melba Curls, Cindy Circo and Terry Riley all saw the positive impact that less restrictive ordinances would provide for their constituents and supported amended ordinances, as a part of a 10-3 favor for reducing unemployment, and Community security. This also provided employment for Local At Risk Youth, the prison reentry populations and the elimination of food deserts. These community leaders looked to the mainstream food movement advocates to assist local “Agriculturalist and Green community advocates to oppose the real estate developers who were more concerned with the market value of real property and Re-gentrification.

Facing major economic development issues, eastside leaders leaned to the side of less regulation to create a pro-business environment.

Many Urban Agricultural Businesses, on the southwest side of urban Kansas City ran into difficulties, in past with Residential codes and maintaining a successful business.

It has become difficult for supervisors to instruct residential code inspectors to acknowledge and incorporate Urban Agricultural presence that has been passed since 2010, and still continue to write code citations on chapter 49 and Chapter 52 codes. Their lack of receptiveness to Urban Farms that are growing in residential neighborhoods, now that they are covered by 88 ordinances, can be daunting. 

We have been successful in referring and identifying many herbs and naturally growing plant that were once considered as rank weeds, like Plantain, Poke Root, Clover, Lambs Quarter and Dandelion off their violation list. Since the inspectors only have jurisdiction and training on residential codes as residential properties, they are not referring these urban farms to the planning and zoning department that would cover the appropriate ordinances for this area as a home based business, or home cottage industry.  These ordinances have only been challenged by the few disadvantaged Black farmers and growers, who are virtually ignored by city prosecutors and Judges. This results in needless court dates, fines, and possible warrants on fledgling urban farmers who are already working diligently to emerge and compete in the already competitive food and growers market. This also creates an anti-business environment in the already devastated low economic development areas of 64127 -28 on the eastside of Kansas city, contrary to the support of the urban plans and downtown city hall leadership and representatives of Kansas City. 

This makes it extremely difficult for activists and advocates to provide hope for distressed and disadvantaged at-risk youths, trying to escape underground economies and a failing job market.

We are also working to remediate water usage, using rain barrels and conserving gray water for reuse in the growing fields. We are using and installing IT tech assistance for optimal growth, food security, and automation. We are also Installing Solar alternative energy. We look to the future, where it is commonplace to incorporate urban agriculture in the cycle of urban residential living.

As an educator in the Kansas City public schools, I had often enjoyed the convenience of walking or using the bus or riding my bike, to get to the local school where I worked. My students and their parents always knew me from the neighborhood. Living in the city also made it easy to be involved and to support school sport games and activities, not only for my own children, but my students as well. In the mornings my neighbors will see me working on the farm, watering herbs and food, in our lot and front yard, while students pass by, on their way to school. I have actually had people drive up to the farm and pay for their order of food right from their cars. Students have often stopped by my home for tutoring and counseling. I even get visits from graduates who show me their newborns. By being in the metropolitan area, my daughter, Grandson and I love to visit the local shops, museum of art, libraries and other attractions. There are still a few Afrikan American Cafes, restaurants, events, concerts and a lot of local, small farmer's markets.

We need more Afrikan American families to stand their ground to rebuild an urban community and then to, encourage our children to inherit wealth of land and property investment, by perpetuating and returning to their family homesteads, instead of starting from scratch, every generation. It is important to teach our children about financial literacy and green vocational and entrepreneurial career paths. We need to change our perceptions from telling our children to "get out of the ghetto," instead, to encourage them to get their education to return to their communities to infuse and reinvigorate their neighborhoods with new green solutions for the future. We need to pursue more green economic sustainable development for the future of the next generation.

 

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Amen-ParAnkh-Urban-Farm-KCMO/140455522652298

 

 

Kandaki-Ma Nuta Beqsu (Adenike Amen-Ra)

I hope you have enjoyed our presentation. Amen Par Ankh is our Outreach ministry. Please support our initiatives...

(c) All rights reserved. No part of this Blog may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the author; Nuta Beqsu Adenike AmenRa

We are available for Lectures, Panel Discussions, Conferences, and Workshops, along with an Af-Ra-Ka-N Centered curriculum for youth STE-A-M homeschooling, Workshops, and Itinerate Tutoring. https://Amen-Ankh.blogspot.com 

We live in our ancient KMT Spiritual systems to serve our community in Libations, Griot Spoken Word Presentations, KMT Wedding, Naming and ReBirth, Personal consultations for Nia (Purpose), Health, Career and, Relationship, and Ascension officiant, Salutations and Blessings for new beginnings, (Home and Businesses blessings), Afrikan Storytelling. Amen Par Ankh is a Sacred Temple of Life- We are a KRST conscious Community. We Grow Food to restore balance in our relationship with the cosmos, earth, and our Natural communities by increasing awareness of Life, Health, and Environment. We are a Maafia a "Healthy Place To Live" Amen Ankh Urban Farm’s Mission is to produce, promote, and perpetuate food, resources, and comfort and to grow local healthy Indigenous Foods in environmentally, respected, earth gentle ways. Call Us-816-281-7704 Contact: amen.parankh@gmail.com or amen.ankh@live.com

The information on this website has been put together for general information, education, reference, Spirituality Current Events, and entertainment purposes only and is not intended to provide medical advice. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any specific condition. Ask your American Medical Doctor for professional advice before making radical changes in your diet and lifestyle.

 

Amen Par Ankh (Sacred House of Life) and Amen Ankh( Sacred Life) Urban Farm; is a local Urban Farm nestled around a Spiritual Center in the heart of midtown Kansas City, Missouri. Contact Us and become a member as We Celebrate the Cycles of Life!Email: amen.parankh@gmail.com , amen.ankh@live.com Call: 816-281-7704 Sign-up for courses and support: https://www.gofundme.com/f/amen-ankh-edible-memorial-gardens , information: http://amen-parankh.blogspot.com , Look for us on FaceBook and Twitter. We celebrate the Cycles of Life, Wellness and Balance in our everyday existence on earth. We assist in Wellness for Physical Fitness, Mental Health, and Spiritual Attainment - to realize the fullest capacities of life, health, prosperity and strength. We provide Whole Life Coaching, Energy work, A Par Ankh Reading Room, Org-Ankh Electric food Boxes, an Herbal Tea House and Juice bar, Outdoor Experiences, classes such as Cultural Head-wrapping, Natural Hair Braiding, beading and Lox twisting, ASCAC (The Association for the Study of Classical African Civilization), Art Healing Mandalas, Jewelry Making, Gentle Yoga, Canning and preserving food, Health and Wellness Study Courses, Gifts, Accessories, Cultural Ceremonies, Workshops and special events. Amen Par Ankh means sacred House of Life. We acknowledge creation. We provide a space for your own personal discovery with quiet reflection and time for internal work, as well as an active space for expressions of our original ways of life.Ceremony, Counseling, Coaching, Cultivation Cleansings, and Classes Amen Ankh Urban Farm is an urban agricultural enterprise with the goal of achieving environmental justice and sustainability by Healthy local food production and improving local neighborhood access to healthy Foods. We run Aquaponic Systems of farm raised fish, Herbs and micro-greens. We sell Org-Ankh Electric Food Boxes! We also provide Farm-a-See tours of successful Local Farmers.We grow selected local indigenous Herbs, Fruits, Vegetable and plant life of the Three Sisters: Corn, Beans, and Squash and cruciferous vegetables: Cabbage, and Kale, With Wheat Grass and other Sprouts, Herbs: Basil, Sage, Chives, Rosemary, Parsley, Peppers and Moringa nutritional drink supplements, -From our foods we produce Baked Goods, cosmetics, & liniments to provide Healing and Sovereignty: Through the inspiration of Kujichagulia (Self determination) All Original people. Dua (Th-ankh you!) ♥. Https://nuta-ankh.blogspot.com 

Capitol to Abolish Food Deserts in Kansas City

Seed Capital to Abolish Food Deserts

Seed Capital to Abolish Food Deserts

From the Cyber Pen of Sasteh Meter Mosley   

November 6th, 2011

To download your Application contact amen.ankh@live.com

Over the last three years, I have worked with many of you individually to gain more Food Sovereignty for the residents of the East side of Kansas City.  Now I would like to present a funding stream here in Kansas City that can provide the necessary start-up funds for farms, community food projects, stipends for workers, infrastructure for existing pantries, land acquisition, or any other reasonable expenses to wash away any obstacle to producing healthy foods. I am in Oakland, California for the Community Food Security Coalitions with thousands of other in the country that realize we have to take the next step in the Food Movement.

With the announcement that Aldi will open in 2011, It was suggested that the Food Desert in East Kansas City, MO will be eliminated.  Unfortunately, the definition of having a grocery store within a mile (12 city blocks) is woefully inadequate to address the nutritional challenges of low-income and high health risk residents.  Several organizations have convened groups to define solutions: 

1.  2008 NBUF Food System meetings at Dubois Learning Center with Bill Grace (DLC), The Bey (Moorish Science Temple), Kenyattas (Seed Restaurant), and Sasteh Mosley (Amen Christ Temple)

2.  2009 Black Agenda Group present Jim Nunley Training on Health Care Foundation, Rosa James (NAACP), Carol Coe, Debra Mann (Emmanuel Community Center)

3.  2009 Stimulus Funds Economic Development Meetings on Creation of Green Jobs (Urban Farming), Marlon Hammonds and Sasteh Mosley, Craig Bland (Freedom Inc), Clyde McQueen (FEC), Ken Bacchus (Economic Development Chair BAG and Freedom Inc.), Carol Coe (Convener), 19 other Activists

4.  2010 Urban Farming Ordinance  Chapter 88-312 and Food Policy Summit,  (Beth Gothstein Organizer), City Council: Terry Riley, Sharon Sanders Brooks, Cindy Circo, Melba Curls, John Sharp, and Ed Ford (The ten who Voted in Favor of the Ordinance), KCCUA, GCFPC, Bad Seed, EMWOT, Green Acres and Amen Ankh Urban Farm

5.  2011 Urban Farm Movement, Will Allen Abolish the Food Desert Event by Green Acres, Chicken Ordinance KCMO, Green Acres Urban Farm and Research Project Aquaponics Program (KCMO, KCMSD, BEU), EMWOT Urban Farm initiatives and services (Real Estate and Land Acquisition for farming, Farm Tours, At-Risk-Youth with Green Careers, Tilling Services, Music CDs, Health Classes), Get Growing Kansas City (CultivateKC.org, KC Community Gardens, and Lincoln University) Adenike AmenRa (Amen Ankh- Urban Farms, Wheatgrass, Food Preservation Classes)

Let's all take the next step in this movement.  As other movements plan to come into the East side of Kansas City, let’s make sure we continue to do the work to ensure that residents have the healthy, locally grown food they need to be successful.  Let's get these applications in, help others submit them, pass them on to those who are willing to work for a healthier city.  This seed capital can help those with tight budgets do something fun to help them feed themselves, support farm businesses that can hire people, and help existing organizations get into the "teach how to fish" side of feeding people. 

 Please forward this information to the gardeners, farmers, and community leaders you know.  I can provide technical assistance, group presentations, and free workshops to assist in getting the applications complete. 

Thanks,

Sasteh Mosley

CEO of EMWOT (East Meets West of Troost), (816) 281-7704)

Amen Par Ankh (Sacred House of Life) and Amen Ankh Urban Farm; is a local Urban Farm nestled around a Spiritual Center in the heart of midtown Kansas City, Missouri. Contact Us and become a member as We Celebrate the Cycles of Life! Email: amen.parankh@gmail.com , amen.ankh@live.com Call: 816-281-7704 sign-up for courses and support: http://www.gofundme.com/amen-urban-farm , information: https://emwot-kc.blogspot.com , https://amen-parankh.blogspot.com

Look for us on FaceBook & Twitter. We celebrate the Cycles of Life, Wellness, and Balance in our everyday existence on earth. We assist in Wellness for Physical Fitness, Mental Health, and Spiritual Attainment - to realize the fullest capacities of life, health, prosperity, and strength. We provide Whole Life Coaching, Energy work, A Par Ankh Reading Room, Org-Ankh Electric food Boxes, an Herbal Tea House & Juice bar, Outdoor Experiences, classes such as Cultural Head-wrapping, Natural Hair Braiding, beading, and Lox twisting, ASCAC (The Association for the Study of Classical African Civilization), Art Healing Mandalas, Jewelry Making, Gentle Yoga, Canning and preserving food, Health and Wellness Study Courses, Gifts, Accessories, Cultural Ceremonies, Workshops, and special events. Amen Par Ankh means sacred House of Life. We acknowledge creation. We provide a space for your own personal discovery with quiet reflection and time for internal work, as well as an active space for expressions of our original ways of life. Ceremony, Counseling, Coaching, Cleansings, & Classes Amen Ankh Urban Farm is an urban agricultural enterprise with the goal of achieving environmental justice and sustainability by Healthy local food production and improving local neighborhood access to healthy Foods. We run Aquaponic Systems of farm-raised fish, Herbs, and micro-greens. We sell Org-Ankh Electric Food Boxes! We also provide Farm-a-See tours of successful Local Farmers. We grow selected local indigenous Herbs, Fruits, Vegetable and plant life of the Three Sisters: Corn, Beans, and Squash and cruciferous vegetables: Cabbage, and Kale, With Wheat Grass and other Sprouts, Herbs: Basil, Sage, Chives, Rosemary, Parsley, Peppers, and Moringa nutritional drink supplements, -From our foods we produce Baked Goods, cosmetics, & liniments to provide Healing and Sovereignty: Through the inspiration of Kujichagulia (Self-determination) All Original people. Dua (Th-ankh you!) ♥.