What is urban farming in Detroit?
Detroiters share their stories about the environmental work they’re doing in the city, unearthing the growing number of urban farms gardens and mom-and-pop farms sprouting up in Detroit. Urban farming is inspiring city-grown fresh food, supporting environmental stewardship and bringing together community members.
Is there an Agrihood in Detroit?
Detroit is home to over 1,400 community gardens and farms, including the “the first sustainable urban agrihood” in the United States. The 50,000 lbs of produce grown annually is available for free to about 2,000 households within two square miles of the farm.
What are the benefits of urban agriculture in Detroit?
Aside from economic benefits such as job opportunities and sales, these farms can bring fresh fruits and vegetables into food deserts and education in functional skills to residents of all ages. The movement has also been connected to social justice.
Can farming save Detroit?
Their 2010 study, Growing Food in the City: The Production Potential of Detroit’s Vacant Land (PDF), concludes that such efforts could supply local residents with more than 75 percent of their vegetables and more than 40 percent of their fruits—a boon for a city where many residents live in food deserts.
Does Detroit have a community garden?
Within the city of Detroit, home to nearly 1,400 community gardens and farms, there is one officially designated agrihood, Michigan Urban Farming Initiative.
Who started urban farming in Detroit?
Mayor Hazen Pingree
The city has a long history of urban farming, stemming as far back as the 1890s when Mayor Hazen Pingree encouraged residents to plant potato patches on vacant land.
Are there food deserts in Detroit?
The Michigan Department of Agriculture has labeled 19 Detroit neighborhoods as a “food desert,” which is a term used to describe an urban area that lacks accessibility to quality and affordable food.
When did urban farming start in Detroit?
The city has a long history of urban farming, stemming as far back as the 1890s when Mayor Hazen Pingree encouraged residents to plant potato patches on vacant land. But for those who are new to the city and new to farming in it, Detroit can be a really complicated place to navigate.
How might the examples of Detroit’s urban agriculture help other cities?
Urban agriculture would also provide employment opportunities in production, distribution and marketing. In cities where small homeowners face problems of residential captivity, as their homes no longer have any value on the real-estate market, urban agriculture could help to give new value to land.
What happened to the South Central Farm?
The farm was sold in 2004, and the farmers were evicted in 2006. On July 5, 2006, workers began bulldozing the farm amidst strong protest and acts of civil disobedience. The farmers disputed the validity of the sale in court and staged vigils in protest.
How many urban farms are in Detroit?
Why did urban gardens start in Detroit?
From its infancy, the urban farming movement started for a multitude of reasons. Maybe it was Detroit’s Mayor Pingree’s Victory Potato Gardens fighting starvation during the late 1800s.
Is Detroit leading the way in urban agriculture?
“Detroit may be a leader in urban agriculture, but it and other greening initiatives are one piece of a larger puzzle. There are all kinds of studies that show working, walking and playing in green spaces can have a positive impact on the health of children and adults.”
Where is the best raised bed organic garden in Detroit?
Located smack-dab in the heart of downtown Detroit, in the midst of courthouses and office buildings, this raised-bed organic garden truly exemplifies how a concrete site can sprout into a beautiful green space. It’s on a site left vacant by the razing of an office building, at the corner where West Lafayette, Shelby and Michigan Avenue intersect.
What are Detroiters doing to help the environment?
Detroiters share their stories about the environmental work they’re doing in the city, unearthing the growing number of urban farms gardens and mom-and-pop farms sprouting up in Detroit. Urban farming is inspiring city-grown fresh food, supporting environmental stewardship and bringing together community members.
What is Michigan urban farming initiative?
Michigan Urban Farming Initiative is the only officially designated agrihood in Detroit. The Michigan Urban Farming Initiative is focusing on food insecurity and community investment. A decade ago, a resurgence of urban gardens and farms sprouted a new agricultural trend around the country.