Not Your Typical Farm

While most people never question where their food comes from, or what that mysterious place is like, Michigan city-dwellers have recently taken matters into their own hands.  I speak of course about urban farming- the agricultural phenomenon that's sweeping the country.

By planting community gardens in vacant land (a problem-solver in and of itself!), neighborhoods, schools, and organizations such as the Michigan Urban Farming Initiative are able to instill values in workers, volunteers, and children, provide cheap, nutritional food to locals, and help fight unemployment, all while bettering the environment.

It calls to mind the victory gardens of WWII.  But what most people don't realize, is that those victory gardens grew so successful that at their peak they were providing 40% of the nation's produce.  Not only can such gardens alleviate hunger, they can help reestablish the well-being of our cities, which are too often filled with pollution and litter.  The plants provide oxygen, and remind people of the importance of keeping our land clean!

So how can you help in such a massive program?  The answer is simple: just volunteer some of your time.  Working on multipurpose initiatives such as urban farming look amazing on resumes and are great ways to spend required volunteer hours (you can bring friends along, or make some new ones while you're there).

If you won't take it from me, give a minute to the folks at Urban Roots, who are dedicating themselves to rehabilitating Detroit through gardening...