What can happen when neighbors get together for dinner? Frogtown Park and Farm, actually.
Soyini Guyton — one of those neighbors, who now heads the Frogtown Farm board — told the story of how this seed got planted Saturday at a grand opening for St. Paul’s newest green space.
“As usual,” said Guyton describing a gathering in the summer of 2009, “talk turned to amenities — available amenities in our neighborhood — which there weren’t enough for us.”
Guyton and her husband, Seitu Jones, and their dinner hosts, Patricia Ohmans and Tony Schmitz, committed to making their neighborhood blossom — literally.
“And so I think it was probably Seitu and Tony who made a joke about, ‘Well, maybe we can get that land down there (a vacant site owned by the Wilder Foundation) for green space’ — because, as you know, Frogtown … had the least amount of green space and park space than any other neighborhood in St. Paul and what is interesting about that is that Frogtown also has a huge youth population, so they need that green space, as do adults.
“We were four people… and we decided we were going to do something,” she said. “So the something we did is create the vision of this farm. Now I know Parks and Recreation and other people knew the importance of green space for the health of people in the community, but one of the lessons I’ve learned … is that people in the community have to sometimes take up the mantle and love their community so much that they are going to be the people who are going to push that vision.
“And push it we did. Now we understood that we had no cash, no connections and, for some people, little creditability … but we put all that together and we, the four of us, became an organization called Frogtown Gardens.”
Community organizers got involved, as did the city and the Trust for Public Land.
“By December 2013, the (Trust for Public Lands) had purchased the land from Wilder and the rest is history in a way,” said Guyton. “… I read one thing that said, ‘And this group of community activists …’ Well, we weren’t a group of community activists. We were community residents. And we decided that this is what we needed to do for our community and that is one of the lessons we want to pass on to the people and the children who come to Frogtown Park: That there are things that you can build, individually and as an organization. Be responsible for putting those ideas out there and pushing those ideas.
“You can’t wait for someone else to do it for you.”
Saturday began with a land blessing ceremony followed by remarks from speakers that included St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman and U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum. Afterwards, people could get lunch from the “Mini Taste of Frogtown,” which featured local restaurants offering Vietnamese, Ethiopian, Mexican, Hmong and deli fare. There also was live music and activities for kids, including birdhouse building and a climbing wall.
“Gosh,” said one woman to another as they walked along one path, “this is such a nice, beautiful, hidden gem.”
The urban farm and park at 946 Minnehaha Ave. W. shares the neighborhood with houses and apartments on one side and a liquor store, an auto repair place and a tobacco shop on another.
The first full growing season for Frogtown Farm will be in 2016. Already underway is the construction of a hoop house — a simple, greenhouse-like shelter. The fields will demonstrate sustainable, organic farming methods.
Phase II in 2016, includes a nature-based play area, tree planting, re-seeding of the sledding hill and site furniture. There will also be farming space and, later, plans for a market stand on site as well as a community center with commercial kitchen, classrooms, farm office and gathering space.
The mission, according to the Facebook page: “Frogtown Farm, the Trust for Public Land, the city of Saint Paul, and the residents of Frogtown are working to transform a vacant site into a community green space including an active recreation area, a nature preserve, and … demonstration farm.”
Coleman said it’s important to remember why this project is important: It connects children and families to the land, to food, to activity.
“We are making a gift to our children,” Coleman said. “You have given them a 12.7-acre gift and it’s an incredibly loud and resounding statement that … this community matters.”
Lamont Harper appreciates this gift. “A cricket!” said the 3-year-old said as he explored the open field far from the podium.
His mom, Laneka Carter, smiled from a nearby bench.
“We live down the street,” she says. “To see this is kind of cool.”
Molly Guthrey can be reached at 651-228-5505.
More info, and how to get involved, at Facebook.com/FrogtownFarm
