Fund A.P. Leazer Eco Creations' Mobile Workshop Vision!

A. P. Leazer Ecological Creations is dedicated to pioneering sustainable and accessible design solutions that harmonize with the environment. Through innovation, creativity, and a commitment to ethical stewardship, we strive to inspire a world where ecological consciousness and environmental reverence guide every creation.

The Ask

I need a workspace!

I specialize in designing and constructing sustainable agricultural products that are easily accessible, such as long-lasting wheelchair-accessible raised garden beds and specialized log hives. These products allow humans to interact with nature while minimizing disruption to the delicate ecology. My venture is truly unique, and there are very few like it. My approach is distinctive because by utilizing universal design foundations, I am able to create designs that enable people to interact with nature who otherwise would have a great deal of difficulty accessing it.

By the end of the summer, I am hoping to form my own LLC here in CT, then purchase a trailer that I can use as both a "farm vehicle" and a workshop. Once I have the trailer, I will register it to the state DMV as a farm vehicle, then will apply for my USDA farm exemption numbers so I can officially become an apiarist! Equipped with my farm numbers, I can then enter into pollination contracts with local farmers who have expressed great interest in having bees placed on their land. Having farm numbers also means that any secondary products of one’s farm (or Apiary) are tax-exempt, so I’d be able to sell honey, wax, bee pollen, log hives, and garden beds entirely tax-free to the many farmers and community members who want some of their own. The mobile trailer will allow me to construct on a greater scale and it will allow me to construct on-site. Currently, I am limited to the capacities of my basement, which I may have to move from in June, and my car. I need a better means of storing my vast collection of tools needed to create my projects, and my car is not large enough to fit tree hollows and 16ft planks, leaving me heavily reliant on my friends with pickups and Home Depot rentals. A mobile workshop would also allow me to increase my capacity to meet my demand and to provide "build-your-own" garden bed kits with pre-cut parts and assembly instructions, which clients have expressed great interest in.

What I Do

For my senior thesis at Wesleyan University, titled Engineering Better Beehives, I designed a new type of beehive from a non-human-centered perspective that addresses a grave issue – the massive loss of bees to colony collapse disorder. Using my technical understanding of Earth systems, biology, ecology, design, and engineering, I designed and built a specialized beehive that more accurately mimics their natural habitat than contemporary designs while improving colony resilience and allowing for minimally invasive beekeeping practices. The hives that humans have designed for bees are made cheaply from ineffective materials and were designed to make honey cultivation easier for people. These hives aren’t made for the bees that inhabit them, but rather for the beekeepers who manage them. By simply redesigning our managed hives for the bees from a beyond-human-centered framework, we can help save our most important and hard-working pollinators while preventing further colony collapse.

My log hive was installed at Miller St. Community Farm on April 10th and the first bees in my Apiary moved in on April 14th and were then registered with the state. Queen Nefertiti is healthy and strong, laying loads of eggs every day. She is currently ruling over her resilient colony with pride. This summer, I will continue to monitor the hive, and using my sensor data I hope to prove that the design of my log hive yields an easier and healthier existence for the bees.

I aim to develop appropriate platforms to assist in mitigating colony collapse disorder and food insecurity. I aim to further sustainable agriculture by developing the appropriate tools to efficiently produce my log hives and sustainable agricultural products. I want to empower people to grow their fresh organic produce. In order for people to grow food, we need bees. Food access is a persistent issue in Middletown, many parts of our wonderful city are unfortunately food deserts, and this disproportionally harms people of color.

In the past 2 years, I have been able to place accessible raised garden beds in many different locations throughout Middletown that enable all people, including non-able-bodied individuals to grow their own organic high-quality food. These beds also allow residents in the North End of Middletown to grow their own food, when they otherwise could not do so because of lead contamination in the soil from the Portland bridge.

Why I Do It

I have a unique perspective on addressing issues related to food deserts due to my own lived experiences. Having lived in 12 different places across 5 different cities - at least half of which were food deserts, I’ve been exposed to both sides of the coin. This has made me passionate about empowering people to grow and feed their communities quality homegrown produce. However, I understand that growing your own food can be seemingly insurmountable to many. This is why I educate others on growing food, how to get started, and providing them with the resources that they need to get started. Furthermore, I am an experienced apiarist, a member of the Connecticut Beekeepers Association, a member of Farmers & Leaders Of Color, and a woodworker with a true understanding of the plights of disability, as I am neurodiverse and non-able-bodied. I have had to develop accommodations for myself many times, which has given me a unique perspective on designing with accessibility in mind.

Additionally, my work is closely tied to the non-profit group I work with, Cultivating Justice, whose mission is to nurture Connecticut’s next generation of farmers of color through farming, business development, and civic engagement. My work with CJ is done primarily at the Miller St. Community Farm, located in the Miller/Bridge St. community. This condemned neighborhood is situated underneath the Portland Bridge and is comprised of low-income and disenfranchised BILPOC. At the community farm, I host community-build days and other educational events. Through this work, I have developed essential community engagement, leadership, and project management skills that have helped me grow my venture. I was even given the opportunity to present a workshop on the basics of beekeeping during this year’s Growing Power Conference.

See my work featured on the front page of the Middletown Press here.

Conclusion

I’ve never been more excited about anything than I am about the future of A. P. Leazer Ecological Creations. It’s with your financial contributions I will complete my greatest investment in this entrepreneurial journey - a workspace! I want to express my heartfelt thanks to all of you for your love, support, encouragement, and financial contributions. If you have the capacity to do so, any support would be greatly appreciated. Please share my fundraiser with your family and friends. With your help, I know my goal is within reach!

Much Love,

Amara P. Leazer

A. P. Leazer Ecological Creations