When you hear about urban agriculture these days, Detroit usually follows, or precedes it - depending on the story. But not in this one. This time, it's Royal Oak. And they'll be plowing this week.
Excerpt:
The non-profit group Royal Oak Forward, which will manage farm
operations and organic practices, is borrowing a tractor to start
plowing later this week. Then, Johnson will plant about 25 kinds of
herbs and vegetables that will be ready to eat from late May through
October.
"We know the land is good to grow," Johnson said of
environmental tests. "Now I'm checking for nutrients like nitrogen,
potassium and phosphorous so I'll know how much compost to add."
Volunteers
will help tend the field and in about eight weeks they will have
baskets of fresh produce ready for shareholders to pick up and to sell
to the public at the market, which is less than a mile away.
Community-sponsored
agriculture (CSA) is a growing trend in the United States as more
people go green to cut waste, such as transportation fuel, and improve
taste.
"You hear about the 100-mile diet challenge some food
co-ops put out," Johnson said. "We're talking about the few-feet diet."
Read the entire article
here.
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