TuckUnder Projects Raspberry Patch Diagnosis

TuckUnder Projects Raspberry Patch Diagnosis

TuckUnder Projects seeks funds to diagnose stunted growth symptoms in Raspberry Patch via UMN Plant Disease Clinic & meet fiscal needs.

TuckUnder Projects seeks your help with artistic funding to scientifically diagnose stunted growth and diseases within its Raspberry Patch Residency site in conjunction with the University of Minnesota Plant Pathology and Disease Clinic, and to finalize its budgetary needs and grant status with Metropolitan Regional Arts Council. This past spring and summer, a unique agricultural public art project entitled, TNT/Tunnel & Trellis/Sarah Wolbert/Raspberry Patch Residency took place at TuckUnder Projects, a tiny home based art gallery in Southwest Minneapolis. The Raspberry Patch Residency project began May 15, and ran thru September 15, 2012. The Raspberry Patch has been a source of visual inspiration and growth for the artist, the curator/homeowner and family, Fulton neighborhood residents, and art gallery patrons. 

During this first growing season, the artist successfully nurtured and diagnosed many agronomical ailments unique to the Raspberry Residency Patch. These included a variety of natural and unnatural elements, including weather, water, soil inconsistency, bunnies, Earwigs, Japanese Beetle infestations, and fruitful growth patterns amongst others. With the help of theUniversity of Minnesota Plant Disease Clinic, we would like to scientifically diagnose the soil, the roots, the canes, the leaves, and prepare for the Fall die back, and properly cultivate the patch in preparation for the next raspberry growing season. 

Raspberry Patch Resident artist Sarah Wolbert has initialized a fire blightworking diagnosis, and has recommended an “official diagnosis to ensure health of bushes and next season's production of raspberries. Additionally, this diagnosis will lead to appropriate steps for home-owner mitigation and future maintenance recommendations." 

The University of Minnesota Plant Disease Clinic is super raspberry and artist friendly! The Clinic is a “multi-disciplinary laboratory that serves commercial growers as well as the general public. The services provided include routine plant disease diagnosis (e.g. leaf spots, root rot diseases, cankers, wilt diseases, etc.), nematode analysis, seed quality testing, viral analysis, insect identification, and contract research. Certain plant pathogens and diseases can be detected and diagnosed using sensitive and specific PCR (polymerase chain reaction) assays.” And they know their raspberries, too! 

According to the UMN PDC, “disease diagnosis is a critical initial step for successful disease management. Several different diseases and/or plant health problems can cause similar symptoms; therefore, it is important to obtain an accurate diagnosis to choose the best disease-control measures and to know what is affecting your crops or plants. Accurate and timely plant disease diagnosis starts with proper sample collection and submission.” TuckUnder would like to get its sample in right away, to help prevent further damage to our berry patch, and to help preserve it for future gallery visitors. 

A secondary, and equally important part of the Kickstarter project will help TuckUnder Projects meet its minor fiscal obligations with its Metropolitan Regional Arts Council Community Arts Grant. Within this inaugural season of visual arts programming and community arts development, TuckUnder has gone slightly over our budgetary estimate. Our simple gallery dry wall build out, wall insulation, interior painting, track lighting, postcard printing, and general administrative costs have created a small cost overrun. Along with the UMN PDC diagnosis, money will be allotted to pay our final exhibiting artist stipend, postcard printing, fiscal agency fees, and to help bring our first gallery season to a successful visual and economic close.

With your generous help, you can receive a neat envelope filled with dried raspberry leaves, little TuckUnder buttons and postcards for your pleasure. Higher giving levels include a raspberry salsa recipe, two maps of the site, tour of the site/gallery, and a copy of the official UMN Plant Clinic diagnosis. To find out more about TuckUnder Projects Raspberry Patch Residency please visit our website at www.tuckunder.org, or our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/TuckUnderProjects . Please go now to support the TuckUnder Kickstarter campaign at http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/raspberrydiagnosis/tuckunder-projects-raspberry-patch-diagnosis.  If the link doesn't work you can Google Kickstarter and search TuckUnder Projects Raspberry Patch and it should appear. Thanks again for your generous support!

With appreciation from our future raspberry pancakes. xoxoxox, pete