Farmin' in the hood. . .sustainable, urban communities

More on urban farming and Detroit

Urban Farming: Vacant Public Land Could Provide Most of Detroit's Produce
BY Ariel Schwartz
from Fast Company
Thu Nov 18, 2010

The decline of the automotive industry and subsequent collapse of Detroit has been well documented. But as we explained last year, some entrepreneurs see agricultural opportunity in the city's decay. Now a study from Michigan State University backs them up by revealing that a combination of community gardens, urban farms, and greenhouses in the city could provide locals with more than 75% of their vegetables and 40% of their fruits.

According to PhysOrg, MSU researchers catalogued all vacant land plots in the city (excluding sensitive areas around schools, cemeteries, churches, etc.) and found 44,085 available plots spanning 4,848 acres. All of the plots are publicly owned.

The big task, of course, is to find people to farm all that land -- and pay to cultivate it. Michigan entrepreneur John Hantz invested $30 million last year in the Hantz Farms project, which aims to farm 5,000 acres of city land. So far, Hantz is only working around 30 acres -- a testament to the time and energy it takes to really get farming. But unless the auto industry magically recuperates, Detroit has time to spare.

Ariel Schwartz can be reached on Twitter or by email.

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.

Looking for a community gardener

A number of community groups, churches and neighborhood associations with whom we work appear interested in community gardening.

The combination of concerns to develop access to healthy foods, strengthen community connections, teach children about nutrition and the environment and find ways to develop new markets for goods and services drive this growing urban interest.

I've been thinking. Why not hire a full-time urban horticulturist--an urban farmer whose only job it would be to engage interested groups, organize local neighborhood efforts and coordinate the production of great, thriving community gardens?

What do you think?

Anyone you know who might be interested in such a job?

Let me know if you know someone like this.

I'm serious.

Beyond community gardens to urban agriculture as economic development

Lots of folks are discussing the benefits of urban community gardens as a tool utilized by non-profit organizations for community development.

But others are taking the idea of urban gardens to an entire new scale, and in some surprising places and for profit.

Take a look at this story out of Cleveland, Ohio of all places!

Your reactions could begin an interesting discussion.

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Urban farming

Urban farming changes communities, and is a movement sweeping across urban America.

As a result, fresh vegetables and fruit, often virtually inaccessible in many inner city neighborhoods, become available.

Community cooperation emerges from "ownership" in such endeavors that serve as community development and organizing labs.

The gardens can even serve as solar energy classrooms, crime watch tools and opportunities for residents to take hold of more control over their environments.

Watch this CNN video. Then, share your impressions. Anyone out there had experience with an urban garden or farm?