Farming the Saltless Sea: Duluth woman launches urban farm in Lincoln Park
Saltless Sea farm is about a half acre in a dense residential neighborhood below Lincoln Park Middle School. “This was almost entirely wasteland when I moved here,” Starr Brainard said.
By Melinda Lavine
Duluth News Tribune
Aug 8th 2020
Excerpt:
Starr Brainard plucked tiny, white chamomile flowers off green stems with a fork.
Nearby, other edible flowers — borage, Johnny-jump-ups and calendula — stood, ready for harvest on Brainard’s urban farm.
Saltless Sea is about a half acre in a dense residential neighborhood, behind a big, barren field right below Lincoln Park Middle School. “This was almost entirely wasteland when I moved here,” Brainard said, standing in her backyard farm.
Along with edible flowers, Brainard grows kale, microgreens, chard, ground cherries, husk cherries, purple and traditional basil. Some of her crops, the dragon’s tongue bean, burgundy bean and rattlesnake bean, are purple, black, striped yellow and orange.
“I’m really excited about weird, colorful, less common veg. I find it more interesting,” she said.
While Brainard’s day job is land stewardship coordinator for the Duluth Community Garden Program, Saltless Sea — named after the lake and The Zenith City of the Unsalted Seas — is a full-time side gig.
