You know that feeling when you finish a project and think “wow, we really cut that close”?

Yeah. That was us on Saturday, November 8th.

We wrapped up our annual garden cleanup in mid-forties weather, everyone sweating despite the chill, getting the garden tucked in for winter. Sunday morning? Woke up to snow. We literally had one day between “functional garden cleanup weather” and “winter has arrived and she means business.”

Talk about perfect timing we absolutely did not plan.

Everyone Showed Up Ready to Work

I rolled up around 10:30, already a little behind schedule. Bill and Jen? They’d beaten me there by an hour, arriving at 9:30 with that kind of early-morning energy that makes the rest of us look bad. They’d already gotten our MSU volunteer crew started on the rental beds by the time I pulled in.

Melanie showed up not long after with Jeff – and more importantly, with Rory following right behind. If you haven’t met Rory yet, she’s Jeff’s doggo and basically the unofficial mascot of every garden party she attends. Saturday’s outfit? A cozy sweater that had everyone stopping mid-rake to say “oh my god, look at that dog.” Sometimes you need a well-dressed pup to remind you that even cleanup day can be fun.

Two Guys, Three Lean-Tos, One Gorilla Cart

Jeff, Melanie. Jeff and I tackled what might have been the most ambitious project of the day – transforming our garbage corral area. You know that spot where we keep the yard waste can? We wanted to cover it so everything stays protected when it rains. #WetPaperBags

Now, let me back up for a second. Last week, Jeff and I bought a couple of makeshift lean-to structures from a neighbor down the street who was moving. Great deal, super sturdy, perfect for what we needed. There was just one tiny problem: we had to get them from their building to the garden.

Picture this. Two full-grown adults. A wooden lean-to structure that is absolutely not designed to be portable. One gorilla cart. One board for balance. And three trips down 9 Mile.

We must have looked absolutely ridiculous wobbling down the sidewalk with these things balanced on that cart. I guarantee at least five people pulled up to the red light thinking “what on earth are those guys doing?” But you know what? We got them there, and that’s what counts. We even had an assist from some guy riding his bike. We were definitely in his way so I’m sure that was part of the motivation to help.

Anyway, back to the story. Melanie and I started by clearing out the entire garbage corral – moving supplies, raking up leaves, getting everything ready for the lean-to buildout. Then Jeff and I spent most of the day raising the roof on those lean-tos so they would work for our needed. Steve came over half way through and helped us add flashing and get everything positioned just right.

It doesn’t look fancy, but it’s going to keep our yard waste bags nice and dry. And honestly, the process of getting those lean-tos from the neighbor’s house to the garden? That’s the kind of problem-solving that makes the garden fun.

Building Paths for Future Us

After we finished the garbage corral project, Jeff and I grabbed a couple of wheelbarrows and loaded them up with wood chips. Then we hauled them allll the way to the back of the property – seriously, the farthest corner of the garden where nobody ever wants to walk because it’s always the muddiest spot come spring.

We’re laying down a wood chip trail back there. It doesn’t look like much now – just chips on dirt – but in March when everything’s thawing and soggy? We’re going to be so glad we did this. Future Us is going to walk back there on dry ground and think “thank you, November Us, for having the foresight.”

That’s the thing about fall cleanup – half of what you’re doing is making spring easier for yourself.

The MSU Crew Absolutely Crushed It

Can we talk about these MSU volunteers for a minute? Because honestly, they deserve their own standing ovation.

Sarah Kefri, Sebastian Shaman, Samrawit Mesfin, Madeline Trombly, and Collin Painter showed up and just went to work. No hesitation, no “what should we do,” just straight into the beds getting things done.

They tackled around 10 of the rental beds – pulling out old plants, cleaning up the soil, getting everything ready for winter. Then they moved on to the Giving Garden and cleaned out another 7 or 8 beds there. But here’s what really impressed me: they were careful. They didn’t just yank everything out and toss it. When they found green tomatoes, they set them aside gently so we could ripen them later and still get them to people who need fresh food.

That kind of attention to detail? That’s someone who understands the mission. These students weren’t just volunteering for hours – they were thinking about the people who’d eventually eat that food.

If you were there you would have seen Jen working right alongside them, filling boxes of green tomatoes, and the last of our beans. This crew brought the energy and the results.

Bill Was Everywhere At Once

I swear Bill has mastered the art of being in three places simultaneously. He was running around all day keeping us on track, moving compost and wood chips to the rental beds and the Giving Garden, hauling wheelbarrows to the back path, keeping everyone coordinated and moving forward.

Meanwhile Khy kept the fire going (because mid-forties is perfect working temperature but nobody’s gonna say no to a warm fire during breaks) while Jen tackled cleanup projects all over the garden.

By the end of the day, Bill summed it up perfectly in the group chat: “All in all it was a super magical and amazing day. When Jen and I got home we rubbed each others feet and then passed out for at least a 2 hour nap. My ass was super whooped.”

Same, Bill. Same. I think we all earned that nap.

The Numbers That Matter

When we tallied everything at the end of the day, we’d harvested around 50 pounds – mostly the last of the beans and a massive haul of green tomatoes. Those tomatoes are hanging out at Jeff’s house right now, slowly ripening. As they get ready, we’ll probably put them out at the South Warren Community Garden produce stand so even more people can benefit from this final harvest.

That brings our 2025 total to 1,727.79 pounds of food donated to our community.

Just… sit with that number for a second. 1,727.79 pounds. That’s not an abstract statistic – that’s tomatoes that went into someone’s pasta sauce. That’s peppers that got roasted for dinner. That’s Swiss chard that showed up on a plate when someone needed it. That’s bags of produce handed out at garden parties all season long to neighbors, seniors, anyone who needed fresh vegetables.

We grew that. Together. On an abandoned city lot in Eastpointe, Michigan.

The Community Keeps Showing Up

Right before we wrapped up, a neighbor stopped by to grab some of the harvest. She loaded up on tomatoes for a neighbor, and grabbed a few peppers and Swiss chard. Then before she left? She pulled out some peppers she’d gotten from somewhere else and shared them with us.

That right there – that’s what this whole thing is about. It’s not just about growing food. It’s about creating a space where people look out for each other, where sharing is just what you do, where neighbors become friends over vegetables.

We’re Ready for Winter Now

The beds are cleaned and tucked in. The garbage corral has a proper roof. The pond path has wood chips waiting for spring mud season. All those green tomatoes are going to ripen and find their way to people who need them. The garden is ready to sleep.

And we did it with exactly one day to spare before winter showed up.

To everyone who came out on that chilly November Saturday – who pulled plants, hauled wood chips, built lean-tos, sorted tomatoes, tended the fire, coordinated volunteers, and just generally made things happen – thank you. You’re exactly the kind of people who make Urban Seed work.

Special shout-out to Sarah, Sebastian, Samrawit, Madeline, and Collin from MSU. You brought amazing energy and got SO much done. Come back anytime – we’d love to have you when spring rolls around!

And to Rory: best-dressed volunteer of the day, no contest.

Want to join us when the garden wakes up in spring? Our Saturday garden parties run from 10am-2pm at 16425 Nine Mile Road in Eastpointe. No experience needed, no sign-up required, just show up ready to dig in the dirt and hang with good people. Sign up for our newsletter or follow us on Facebook to know when we’re starting up again!

Stay warm out there, friends. See you when the snow melts.

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