Urban Farming in Detroit
Regarding your article on Urban Farming: I find this
to be one of the most exciting news coming out of Detroit in
years. Go to any of the Farmers Markets (not just
Eastern Market) and you will find a "movement". People
want to know where their food comes from but more
importantly they want to know who is growing it. They
want know the "farmer"!
I think Detroit and Michigan are positioned to be the fruit
and vegetable capital of the upper-Midwest. With
abundant land, clear water supply, proximity to
transportation and large pool of non-tech labor we could
supply the region with fresh foods!
With our experience in automation we could take this new
"green house" technology to great heights growing year round
and delivering food in days ,maybe hours, to local tables
and eateries! Even in the dead of Winter.
However there are problems to overcome: Being a
building contractor here in Michigan (specializing in rain
gutters) I was also certified by the State for Lead
azards (I have since let my cert lapse as I'm getting out
of the business) I can tell you that many, many residential
properties are contaminated with lead. I believe lead
poisoning is wide-spread in the older cities and is a cause
of many permanent, early development learning problems for
children.
Old industrial sites are a bigger problem. Growing up
in this area and workign in the welding and tool & die
trades, I have personally witnessed dumping of extremely
toxic waste into creeks, storm water drains or just out on
the ground. The city has also been used to illegally
dump waste (of who-knows-what and who-knows-where).
The wonderful thing about Greenhouses (my Grandfather had
two and my Brother-in-law owns and operates Big Red in Romeo
which has acres under greenhouse) is that the ground below
can be capped with concrete and raised beds are used for
better control of the soil and its ambient conditions.
Fresh soil and compost can be brought in with a high degree
of control.
I would be very leery of eating anything grown in the soil
abandoned residential or industrial land.
to be one of the most exciting news coming out of Detroit in
years. Go to any of the Farmers Markets (not just
Eastern Market) and you will find a "movement". People
want to know where their food comes from but more
importantly they want to know who is growing it. They
want know the "farmer"!
I think Detroit and Michigan are positioned to be the fruit
and vegetable capital of the upper-Midwest. With
abundant land, clear water supply, proximity to
transportation and large pool of non-tech labor we could
supply the region with fresh foods!
With our experience in automation we could take this new
"green house" technology to great heights growing year round
and delivering food in days ,maybe hours, to local tables
and eateries! Even in the dead of Winter.
However there are problems to overcome: Being a
building contractor here in Michigan (specializing in rain
gutters) I was also certified by the State for Lead
azards (I have since let my cert lapse as I'm getting out
of the business) I can tell you that many, many residential
properties are contaminated with lead. I believe lead
poisoning is wide-spread in the older cities and is a cause
of many permanent, early development learning problems for
children.
Old industrial sites are a bigger problem. Growing up
in this area and workign in the welding and tool & die
trades, I have personally witnessed dumping of extremely
toxic waste into creeks, storm water drains or just out on
the ground. The city has also been used to illegally
dump waste (of who-knows-what and who-knows-where).
The wonderful thing about Greenhouses (my Grandfather had
two and my Brother-in-law owns and operates Big Red in Romeo
which has acres under greenhouse) is that the ground below
can be capped with concrete and raised beds are used for
better control of the soil and its ambient conditions.
Fresh soil and compost can be brought in with a high degree
of control.
I would be very leery of eating anything grown in the soil
abandoned residential or industrial land.
posted by slantrider at 1:50 PM
2 Comments:
great post. thx for sharing.
The Calgary Food Policy Council & Big Rock present The Calgary Food Summit on World Food Day, 16Oct09
The Calgary Food Policy Council is hosting the groundbreaking Calgary Food Summit (CFS) on World Food Day, 16Oct09. The CFS is an inclusive opportunity for all those actively involved and working towards improving our local & regional food system.
The objective of the CFS, the first ever event of this type for Calgary, is to discuss progressive policy that will create and build an enhanced food security, food justice, food efficiency, urban ag, community garden & sustainable ag landscape in Calgary.
As we often conduct our affairs independent of other local initiatives, bringing all the participants in our food systems together is an ideal way for our communities to celebrate World Food Day. The timing for local convergence's is fantastic, being on the heels of an amazing summer, harvest & the unparalleled growth, awareness and development of the sustainable food movement in North America.
paul@paulinate.com
More Gardens!
Thanks for reading! I believe growing and eating food that we raise and grow ourselves is big step back from "consumerism" that dominates our society
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