One of the community projects in my neighbourhood has been the set-up of urban farms by the Hamilton Victory Gardens. Their efforts have set up productive gardens on vacant or brown-field land in Hamilton’s lower city. In the very East end, near the Red Hill Valley, is the McQuesten neighbourhood, who have their own Victory Garden location. It was at the Sprout Camp program at McQuesten that I helped campers make some signs for the garden.
Located near several convenience stores and a walkway, the farm is open to the surrounding community and has suffered somewhat by dumping, littering, vandalism and theft. While these issues are delicate to handle, especially with a project supposed to benefit the whole community, we were tasked with the job of creating signs to help motivate respect for the garden and the beneficial thing it can be.
The first step was to have the kids draw out their ideas about what they love about the farm, farm rules, why the farm rules! Etc. Some of these drawings I translate directly into sign designs. Other signs were inspired by what the kids drew and wrote although not literal copies of the kids’ work. I brought back to the camp a few days later several signs that were prepared for customizing and colouring in. The kids then had another morning of activity to produce the finished product.
After the signs were coloured we sealed them with varathane, to weather proof them.
We also sealed them with a kiss! Best of luck McQuesten Urban Farm!
