If You Build It...They Will Farm!
Detroit, MI (CBS Detroit) - The Michigan Urban Farming Initiative is based in Detroit's North End community. Their mission is to use urban agriculture as a platform to promote education, sustainability, and community to empower urban communities, solve many social problems facing Detroit, and potentially develop a broader model for redevelopment for other downtown communities.
Quan Blunt, Farm Manager of the Michigan Urban Farm Initiative, explains further. "The official name is The Michigan Urban Farming Initiative. We are situated in the North end of Detroit, so why not do an urban farm? You can take some of this vacant land and turn it into a greener space, increase air quality, produce a lot of fresh produce that you can give out to the community."
"We try to grow things that we know the community would want, like collard greens, tomatoes, chilis, and okra. So when we start giving away this produce, you'll see a line around the corner because people really want these things."
"In my head, it feels like there's a stronger sense of community here. People really lookout for this farm and really care about the things that we do around here.
When I come out here every morning, I kinda puff my chest out a little bit, I hold my head high, and yes, there is a sense of pride because there's so much fresh produce that we're growing here and it's absolutely beautiful."
"There's really something about seeing Detroiters come into a farm or a garden and harvest things, or attempt to grow them, or help us set up things. I mean, what I know about Detroiters, you don't really see them in farms and gardens too often. And so it really touches me to see people come in and devote their time to gardening."
"When I eat it, I can taste that hard work and devotion, so to me, our stuff probably tastes the best, you know. Because I get to see, these people come here and put their time and their effort into growing and helping us out."
Watch for "Eye on Detroit" segments weekdays during "CBS This Morning" at 7 a.m. featuring unique and positive stories from the Motor City.
© 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
