About

2437 Riverview Street in Spring, 2009

Julie's Vegetable Ranch is the home Andreas (my husband) and I purchased in November of  2008.  The 1/3-acre property we call home(stead) is located in the Laurel Hill valley between Hendrick's Park and Glenwood.  Before our acquisition, the house had been a rental for many years.  Although much had been done improve the house during the years subsequent to our ownership, the backyard was largely neglected.  However, we saw its potential as a Permaculture resource, rolled up our sleeves, and tapped into our collective inner sense of ambition.

In the house, we have cultivated private, yet shared, housing.  The house has historically been inhabited by a mix of studious college students, recent graduates, and active professionals.  The 2437 Riverview blog can be viewed here.  The Pantry co-op portion of  Julie's Vegetable Ranch is located in a secondary domestic kitchen area of the house, from which we are equipped to repackage and sell bulk items.

Outside, Andreas and Julie have worked extensively to transform the large backyard into a comfortable people yard, an expansive chicken yard, and the large garden area.  This summer (2013) is our fifth, starting from a field of blackberries, a few neglected fruit trees and some old-growth grape vines.

The Pantry's current clientele is a close-knit network of roommates and people with whom I started sourcing organic staple food items in 2011.  Ideally, my goal is to serve a small handful of families in the Laurel Hill valley neighborhood and/or along my natural sourcing path of travel.  Included in this portfolio of suppliers are a well-rounded resource base for staple food and other basic necessity items.

As much as possible, I commute by bike when performing this sourcery.  The newest addition to our human-powered fleet is a utility cart (from bikes @ work), which can handle up to 300 lbs of cargo.  This mode of transport is a rewarding and productive part of my regular workouts.  

Feedback about what works and what doesn't is appreciated, as are suggestions.  Making this service as convenient and efficient as possible is my community contribution to the Laurel Hill Valley.  Families interested in helping achieve and perfect the project's functionality through mutually-beneficial participation are encouraged to express interest.