Welcome to the small patch of earth we steward. Dan’s grandparents bought the property, and then new house resting upon it, in 1949. Frank, a postman by day, kept a large kitchen garden out back and gathered apples from a bygone tree while Lenore ran the indoor operation, preserving the fruits of Frank’s labor for winter.

In 2005 we took over the tradition when we built a single raised bed for tomatoes, cucumbers, and zucchini. A few years later, we that bed multiplied by three raised beds and was joined by a cold frame, dedicated spaces for berries and asparagus, rain harvesting and composting experiments, and more. If there was soil accessible, we were trying to grow something edible in it. And as the years went by, we converted more and more of our grass into such space.

Around 2011, our eyes started to wander over the fence and into our neighbor’s flat, south-facing, and totally empty yard. We started to imagine all that we could grow there. That summer’s daydream is now a reality. In 2013 we bought what we shall forever refer to as “Louise’s House,” and cleared 2,000 square feet of sod to make way for Over the Fence Urban Farm.

Today, Over the Fence is dedicated to experimenting with, mastering, and sharing techniques for growing food that promote self-reliance and sustainability, and support our consumption of more fresh and locally harvested food.   We tend this space with our family, friends, and neighbors. Volunteers and visitors gain hands-on opportunities to learn from, and help us build, the project.  Through our blog, social media accounts, educational programs, and tours, we hope to inspire others to make more use of whatever space they have, no matter how small, for this purpose.