Weed-whacking party

Here's how Vince described our accomplishments:

"We spent the afternoon cutting weeds and brush and carrying out garbage yesterday. Amazing what you can get done with a bunch of people. Cynthia's mom & eight other friends came over to work. We made three compost bins and one big pile of brush that
needs chipping. Nearly filled a 6 yard trailer with junk."

So here's a heartfelt thank you to Susan, Rob, Ryan, Ian, Babs, Camille, Walter, Rosie, and Judith! Most of the crew is shown below with New York State Assemblyman Sam Hoyt (second from right), who inherited a sense of smell so powerful that he is able to sniff out photo ops from ten miles away. Just kidding--we invited him.

Oldest Commercial Greenhouse in Buffalo

A friend reminded me that the South Park Conservatory dates from 1901, so our humble little circa 1907 greenhouse is not the oldest greenhouse in the city, just the oldest commercial greenhouse. I am tempted to speculate that it is also the oldest commercial greenhouse in the county, since the suburban garden centers mostly opened after World War II. But there could be a similarly humble structure of the same vintage out there somewhere in rural Erie County. If you know of one, drop us a line.

We own it

We finally closed on the greenhouse today. It took about an hour in Erie County Hall under the most hideous yellow-green fluorescent office lighting I have experienced in some time. I wonder if the clerks have Seasonal Affective Disorder year-round.

Vince went and secured the property and noticed that someone recently 'broke trail' through the weeds and found their way into the back wing of the building. How did he know? The appearance of a fresh condom on the floor. If having safe sex is the worst that trespassers have been doing, I am greatly relieved. Better that than graffiti, drinking, drugging, and vandalism.

Despite the virtual jungle in the back yard, this is very much an urban property. We have no illusions about it.