Urban gardens in wilds of Detroit

[lagatta]

An interesting article about re-using the many abandoned lots in that once-proud city across the border: Urban gardeners are turning vacant Detroit lots into profitable produce plots

http://detroitagriculture.org/garden_re ... rogram.htm

Urban farming in Detroit

n a city of roughly 880,000 people, there are just two large-scale grocery stores. Because public transportation is not always convenient, and an estimated 37 percent of residents live below the federal poverty threshold, most people shop at small independent stores that charge more and are more likely to have a meager produce selection.

"There is a food desert in Detroit," said Emily Reardon, who works at MSU on projects that bring agriculture and youths together. "There is a lack of affordable, fresh food. The reason so many kids are getting pop and chips and candy at the neighborhood store to eat is that's only what they have access to and what they can afford. But if you use available land to raise produce, it will be available and it will be affordable and people will buy it."

[faith]

I absolutely love urban allotment schemes and small city gardens.

South of North Delta where I live is South Surrey (or White Rock as the residents continue to call it) and the beach community there of Crescent Beach has a small area of allotment gardens. For a small annual fee you can have your own garden. The gardens that are there are absolutely stunning because not only do the gardeners help each other they also compete with each other.

I recently saw an article (bbc I think) where the new urban plan for gardening was done on a grand scale using office tower like structures that were all glass with each floor being an irrigated greenhouse to supply large centres with garden fresh produce without transporting it hundreds of miles. I thought it made perfect sense. The architectural rendering placed the design of the office tower greenhouse in New York City.