Friday, April 23, 2010

Urban Farm at Paul Quinn College

Michael Sorrell, President of Paul Quinn College, possesses a clear vision for the renaissance of the historically black college. A new factor in Dr. Sorrell's dream involves engagement, big time engagement, in the urban farming movement that is gaining strength in Dallas.

Recently, I visited the Paul Quinn campus and captured the video posted below. The school recently plowed up its football field as a part of its conversion into an "urban farm."

The idea is to involve students and neighbors in the farming/gardening. The crop will be distributed to the growers, the community and hopefully a market.

Students at the school will benefit from the experiences of the farm in numerous ways. Much about the plan is still being worked out, but I believe Dr. Sorrell is really onto something important and special.

The revival of this important community institution may be one of the results of this innovative approach to community health and development.

Stay tuned.




1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I am 57 single female no children currently a senior at University of North Texas Dallas.I graduate in dec. with a BAAS and certificate in gerontology. My love is community gardening and figuring out how to make a living in the non-profit sector is a challenge. Paul Quinn is on the right track. I am high risk for homelessness but thanks to Ms. Woods at CDC, I now live in one of their affordable apartment buildings. I have been blessed.

I will be president of our unt/dallas of future without poverty fwop. I believe we will organize this spring to get ready for the freshman this fall. fwop plans as a project to volunteer to Central Dallas Ministries community garden. (I saw the internship on the exxon-mobil summer program-but I do not speak spanish)
Check out fwop and their sustainable solutions to electricity and water in Mexico. Why can't we be sustainable in Dallas, Texas? We have the sun and wind. Carolyn Kimball