Et cetera : Cedar 7 growing strong in Milwaukee

Corps member Masuzyo Mhango harvests carrots.

Team leader Chad Every picks carrots to be packed and shipped.

By Alex Bissell

On Friday October 18, Cedar 7 arrived in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to assist the urban farming organization Growing Power with various aspects of food production. Their service includes soil preparation, weeding and harvesting food in the field, potted plant care and upkeep, mushroom cultivation and animal husbandry.

On the first day of their project, Monday October 21, Cedar 7 harvested thousands of carrots, boxed them and packed them onto Growing Power’s trucks to be cleaned and topped.

“I’m really excited to be involved with an organization with such an amazing vision,” says team member Masuzyo Mhango from Boston, Massachusetts, “and also to be able to bring the skills I learn back to my own community.”

Growing Power’s mission is to support people from diverse backgrounds, and the environments in which they live, by helping to provide equal access to healthy, high-quality, safe and affordable food for people in all communities. They are able to achieve this mission by the many partnerships they have created. Through these partnerships, Growing Power has helped start dozens of school and community gardens, in addition to the 3 acre farm and community food center in Milwaukee, and the 20 farms in southern Wisconsin.