The Hemingway Land Project

This is the Hemingway Land Project, a small-scale sustainable farm located amidst industrial farmland near Iowa City, Iowa.
The founders, Bryan and Leanne, have committed themselves to growing most of their own food and buying locally from farmers markets.

A neighboring farm. The color shift in the right third of the photograph shows what is known as the "refuse crop." Monsanto, an agricultural biotechnology corporation requires farmers who use their genetically modified seeds to plant a normal corn crop along with their product so that the insects will not become resistant to the GMO crop. Farmers face hefty fines and will be stripped of their license to use Monsanto's seeds if they fail to do so. (more on Monsanto)

The Garden

The farm is organically growing string beans, potatoes, butternut squash, artichokes, sweet peas, corn, tomatoes, onions, carrots, spinach, and strawberries.

By growing their own organic food Leanne and Bryan will reduce their exposure and consumption of harmful pesticides, herbicides, and preservatives.

Tomatoes in the sprouting room, waiting to be planted.
Tomatoes, like most supermarket produce in the U.S., are typically grown in California, often using irrigated water from hundreds or thousands of miles away.

The food and beverage industry is ranked second only to the chemical industry in carbon dioxide emissions caused by the manufacture, shipping, refrigeration, and packaging of the average American meal.

When grown conventionally, spinach is one of the twelve fruits and vegetables most contaminated with pesticide residue (the "dirty dozen") and is frequently packaged in cellophane for shipping due to its fragile nature.
Spinach, one of the top-selling greens, is relatively easy to grow in most climates. Spinach can be blanched and frozen for use all year long.
how to grow spinach

Leanne laying out the onion sprouts for planting.

Preserving

Growing your own food involves finding ways to preserve it for use out of season. This was the Hemingway Land Project's first foray into preserving with organic strawberries from the garden.

Bryan sterilizing and heating the jars.

Preserving your own food means you can avoid the costs of shipping and packaging while maintaining the freshness of foods grown in season. (How?)

The Chicks

Leanne and Bryan are also attempting to raise chickens for eggs with which they can make their own pasta and breads.

Raising your own chickens will not save you money on eggs but will ensure that the birds are treated humanely and that the eggs will be free of hormones and antibiotics.

You can raise chickens for eggs even in urban areas. To find out if you can raise chickens where you live click here

Composting

Composting food and yard waste from a two-person household can save up to 462 lbs. of carbon emissions annually. Food waste in landfills also creates methane, one of the most potent greenhouse gases. The compost shown here will be used as a nutrient-rich and chemical-free fertilizer.

Food waste does not always decompose in landfills, it depends on your local waste management services. Landfills must be dredged and rotated to permit oxygen to penetrate the mass and allow for biodegradable materials to decompose. Many landfills do not have the capacity, money, or manpower to keep up with demand. It is estimated that food waste in landfills degrades at a rate of about 50 percent every 20 years.
How to start composting.

Saving Energy

The Project is committed to saving energy by limiting electricity usage. Using solar and wind energy to dry clothes is one easy way to do so.
Hang-drying three loads of laundry per week can save an estimated 1109 lbs. of CO2 emissions. (emissions calculator)