As I wrote about before, my brother, Matt, runs an organization dedicated to agricultural-based story telling, advocacy, and resource sharing in the Upper Midwest. Each month, From the Ground Up North features a story about sustainable and local food, agriculture, and resources.

In August, all the focus was on Egg|Plant Urban Farm Supply, a shop in St. Paul that carries everything from plants, canning supplies, and beekeeping supplies to baby chicks. They also offer a wide range of urban homesteading workshops and community events. For one such event, the annual Twin Cities Coop Tour, Egg|Plant held a t-shirt design contest. My brother and I decided to collaborate on an entry.

I have this weird thing with drawing animals in gym shoes, and since my brother didn't object, I thought this would be the perfect time to use it as something unique and eye catching. A chicken wearing gym shoes! Because he's got to run around the city, you see? Then I thought of how people are proud to be urban agriculturalists, and wear it like a badge. Sometimes you've just got to take ideas literally.

We thought the back should be more minimal and simplistic, so dropped the title into a ribbon. We made sure to keep to just two colors of ink to keep the pricing costs down, employing the use of the negative space as a third color. I think it turned out pretty great. And funny.

Unfortunately, we didn't end up winning the contest. They went with a more straightforward classic option. Maybe my urban chicken was a little too kooky? But I still love him. The winning shirt does look nice and I'm sure it was easier to print, too. Oh well, still a good collaboration and better luck next time?