Dear KP Friends,

We held our second market day yesterday at the Sunset Valley Farmer’s Market and increased our sales by over 30%! This, in spite of several freezing cold nights that limited the growth of most of our gardens. Enthusiasm for the project was expressed by several new fans of KP at the Farmer’s Market so I thought I would send out a quick update to everyone, letting you all know what we are up to these days and where could use your help.

Despite the many hardships faced by the folk in our community, enthusiasm is high. We gained three new residents in the last month. A young couple transferred in from another Mobile Loaves-sponsored RV park after participating in our Christmas dinner. They saw the sort of community that our immediate Park community is experiencing and decided on the spot that this was the place for them. The other new resident, a dear friend of many of us, finally got a home after months in limbo. This valiant woman is permanently wheelchair bound after the loss of a limb due to untreated diabetes. She also underwent double bypass open heart surgery two weeks ago. If you know of anyone that has faced such challenges, you know how difficult it can be. Now imagine doing it without a home. Having barely begun the recovery process and just after moving in, she nevertheless blessed us all by bringing cheesecake to the “Stone Soup” lunch we had on Friday. Her spirit it unmatched.

Our community bonds continue to crystallize as relationships are being supported by geographical proximity and a growing sense of common purpose. As a next step for the community, we will be begin a dinner and Biblical discussion on the meaning of “Home” next month. For those who may not see the usefulness of this sort of discussion, pause for a second and ask yourself ‘what does a Home mean to you?’ Chances are, your answers are shaped more heavily by your circumstances than by a dictionary definition of the term. Using the stories of folk within our community as well as the development of the concept of “Home” that is seen throughout the story of wondering Israel in the Hebrew scriptures and through the practices of hospitality, faith, and resource sharing in the early Church, we hope to cast a new vision of what “Home” truly means. For many within our community, “Home” is a place of abuse, a place of abandonment, or a fantastical space created by advertisers who have defined it solely within a materialistic framework. I’m tentatively calling this our “Homeless to Whole Life” Bible Study. If this sounds like an event you would like to be part of, we welcome your presence. Send me an email to let me know of your interest (steven@mlfnow.org). The dinner and study will likely begin in mid-February.

Many of you have enquired about the “next steps” for the Karpophoreō Project, as well as where you can plug in. I have pasted below the areas that we’re growing into this next season. In addition to these areas, we also invite you to join us for our bi-weekly harvest and garden workdays. Our next Farmers Market booth will be Saturday January 16th at the SVFM. Weather permitting, we will be gathering at my house at 1pm on the Friday before this date to harvest and expand our existing garden plots around the city. Come join us, meet the crew and community, and learn a bit about gardening in the mix. If you’re interested, send me a note.

Now, without further ado, please check out the exciting list of KP growth areas and ways you can partner with us.

Area of growth #1 • We will begin recording a Series of Podcasts in which one of our residents that has significant experience in radio broadcasting will be interviewing various members of the homeless community as well as those involved with the Austin homeless conversation. These will be available online.

Way(s) to partner- Ways to Partner- If you have ability in the areas of broadcast or audio-recording, we can use your help

Area of growth #2 • We hope to significantly expand our “Backyard Farm” program through your word of mouth and participation. We can build a 15 x 15 ft gardens for $450 and a 20 x 20 ft for $580. 6-10-lady Chicken coops can be built alongside gardens for $450.

Way(s) to partner- We’ll do all the set up and ongoing insect and plant treatment work; we share the weeding responsibilities and split the harvest. This is a great way to learn more about gardening and serve to empower the formerly homeless in the same act.

Area of growth #3 - We want to connect with your church or faith community. One of the long term goals of the KP community is to serve as a bridge connecting the best organic food in Austin with her faith communities. Toward this end, we’d love to set up a booth at your place of worship describing the Karpophoreō Project and opportunities for direct deliveries of produce and for faith communities to help KP as a corporate body.

Way(s) to partner - We need people willing to talk with their churches to see if KP can set up a booth. We also need point people for Farm to church deliveries.

Area of growth #4 • We want to start a Goat Dairy and Chicken Farm. We are currently putting together the budget requirements for a small goat and chicken operation that will create eggs, milk, and milk-based soaps.

Way(s) to partner - While we have already secured a five acre location for this operation, we will need seed money to get it under way. If the potential benefits of an animal husbandry is something you’d like to see the Karpophoreō Project grow into next, contact me and I can tell you more about our vision for this Farm.

Sincerely,

Steven Hebbard

--
Good Soil Developer
The Karpophoreō Project

www.MLFNOW.org/KP

Comments

[Fawn]

Steve, I am still interested in helping even though I don't live in your area. I have the space for gardens and animals. 60 acres and two ponds. Let me know if you are interested. Being just over an hour away from you, surely we could work something out.