Local musician sings the praises of urban gardening

Singer Karissa LaRen's love of Baltimore is evident in her music video for her single, "We Are The Sounds.” The camera follows her from the Inner Harbor to Federal Hill, featuring neighbors walking dogs through Patterson Park and LaRen singing as she strolls through Highlandtown.

So when LaRen, 25, decided to record her debut pop/neo-soul album, she says she wanted to offer proceeds back to Baltimore, the city that helped create it.

Growing up in Anchorage, Alaska, LaRen was surrounded by green space. After relocating to Baltimore in 2008 to further her music career with producer Stephen Antonelli, she noted that many neighborhoods lacked fresh fruits and vegetables. She did see a few small community gardens, but wanted to help create more.

Community agriculture is not a new initiative in Baltimore, but urban gardening enthusiast LaRen found an innovative way to fund it—through her music. With the help of crowdfunding, her music label and a local nonprofit, she has raised more than $10,000 to fund edible gardens in Baltimore schools. And she plans to continue fundraising through her music until more than 40 gardens are planted.

“I dreamed of building schoolyard gardens but knew that it would take teaming with a great organization to pull it off," LaRen says. 

LaRen worked with her label, Zoévolve Records, to connect with Baltimore’s Parks & People Foundation. The nonprofit cleans up neighborhoods and helps kids do better in school.

“[Urban gardening] is a cause that not only supports a physical and environmental need, but also fills a social void in the community,” says Emily Hay, owner of Zoévolve Records. Nearly one in four school-aged children in Baltimore live in a food desert, or  an area where nutritious food choices are limited. And almost one-third of city households lacked access to enough nutritious food to maintain a healthy lifestyle, according to the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Hay and LaRen introduced the idea of funding edible gardens for schools through her album sales and, not surprisingly, Parks & People was thrilled to partner with her. The goal was lofty, though. In order to be able to fund the schoolyard initiatives, the $10,000 had to be raised by music fans in 30 days. (LaRen’s own income comes from merchandise and sponsorships, as well as performances like her recent four-day tour with Nashville artist Ernie Halter.)

LaRen used the site Indiegogo, a crowdfunding platform similar to Kickstarter, to source donations. LaRen rewarded contributors with album downloads, signed T-shirts, private house concerts, and gardens planted in their honor. Ultimately, 170 donors gave $10,509. At least two backers gave more than $1,000 to have LaRen and Parks & People raise garden beds.

“Parks & People wanted to advocate Karissa’s musical gift and spirit while supporting schoolyard gardening,” says Dennis Sykes, director of development and promotions for Parks & People.

Sales from the album will help grow three gardens at Franklin Square Elementary Middle School this spring. Vegetables will provide fresh produce for the students and will offer educators the opportunity to teach the responsibility that comes with tending a garden.

Now that Karissa’s extended play record has been released, the next step is to install the garden beds in the spring, Sykes says. “Karissa is unique as an artist and Parks & People looks forward to a lasting relationship.”

“Parks & People and I will be at this for awhile,” LaRen says. Parks and People hasn’t decided which school will benefit next from LaRen’s music. But LaRen says she is committed to the endeavor and to Baltimore, with  no plans to pack her bags for bigger adventures in New York City or Los Angeles.

“I love to travel, but I have no plans to move,” LaRen says. “Baltimore is home.”

Her next show is at downtown Baltimore’s Rams Head Live Feb. 17. 

Renee Libby Beck is a freelance writer and public relations manager for Medifast Inc. Renee is the Baltimore Food Examiner for Examiner.com and writes for other local and national blogs and publications.

Top two photographs by STEVE RUARK

Others courtesy of Zoévolve Records