We couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful day down at the Farm Proper. With a gathering of family, friends, and neighbors, we took a bit of time to share food, plant some seedlings, and get a bit of country in the heart of the city.

The tomatoes, peppers, strawberries, basil, lettuce, eggplant, chives, cucumbers, and other veggies we can’t recall at the moment were provided by our generous friends down at Suzie’s Farm. And yes, we said strawberries. Read more on early berry season (plus find some great recipes) right here on the Suzie’s website.

It’s exciting to get the farm carts populated for another season, but we knew the soil needed a little jumpstart. Growing in containers is always more challenging than growing in the ground – the isolated soil biology requires a little extra TLC to make for a bountiful and diverse environment for healthy root systems. We called on our friend, fellow farmer, and Barrio Logan neighbor Jaime at Indoor Garden Depot for assistance, and he answered with a healthy dose of worm tea. We’ll be sprinkling it on the new seedlings over the next few weeks, and are excited to see the plants take off with some living soil under their feet!

And then there was food. Quinoa with beets, Kale salad, watermelon, home-brewed IPA, homemade brownies, and pulled pork! But the bit hit, unsurprisingly, was a battery of hand-made sausages from The Linkery, rounding out the summertime vibe with grilled savory goodness. Gotta love a potluck.

Thanks to all who helped make a day of planting and eating great food. It was a much needed feast after the last couple weeks of renovations at The Bakery. More on that reno’ shortly…

Photographs by Michael Kazma