POWER TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN
"THE HEART OF DETROIT."
♪
>> Mitch: NESTLED IN THE NORTH
END NEIGHBORHOOD IS THREE ACRES
OF BAND WITH 300 VARIETIES OF
PRODUCE, HUNDREDS OF FRU TREES
AND IT’S A SIGHT TO SEE.
WHAT IS IT ABOUT URBAN FARMING
THAT HAS PARTICULAR APPEAL,
ESPECIALLY IN A CITY LIKE
DETROIT?
>> GREENERY AND URBAN PLACE IS
SOMETHING YOU DON’T GET TOO
OFTEN BUT IT’S SOMETHING UNIQUE
TO DETROIT.
WE HELP TACKLE THE FOOD
INSECURITY THAT IS IN DETROIT BY
PROVIDING FRESH PRODUCE TO
PEOPLE WHO DON’T HAVE IT.
>> Mitch: THEY’VE BEEN ON THE
NORTH END SINCE 2011.
IT’S THE VISION OF FOUNDER
TYSON, AND THROUGH THE SUPPORT
OF GRANTS AND HARD WORKING
VOLUNTEERS, THEY’RE ABLE TO
PROVIDE ALL PRODUCE TO THE
NEIGHBORHOOD FREE OF CHARGE.
>> 80% OF THE PRODUCE GETS BACK
INTO THE COMMUNITY AND THE OTHER
20% GOES TO CHURCHES OR FOOD
PANTRIES WHICH MIGHT BE IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD.
>> Mitch: IT’S QUITE THE
DESTINATION FOR LOCALS AND
INTERNATIONAL VISITORS.
ALL WHO WALK THE GROUNDS QUICKLY
REALIZE THE BENEFIT OF THE
GARDEN GOES BEYOND FRESH
PRODUCE.
>> JUST BEING IN THIS OPEN SPACE
WITH THE PLANTS IS CALMING AND
THERAPEUTIC.
AND THE OTHER PART IS MEETING
ALL THE INTERESTING PEOPLE.
TO SEE PEOPLE TAKING THE
PRODUCE, THE TOMATOES
SPECIFICALLY, PUTS A SMILE ON MY
FACE.
>> Mitch: THERE GOES A PRIZE
TOMATO!
>> HEY, I KNOW THAT TOMATO!
>> Mitch: THEY’RE CULTIVATING
THE LAND FOR THE PEOPLE RIGHT
HERE IN "THE HEART OF DETROIT."
>> Tati: GREAT WORK.
AND JOINING US NOW IS TYSON, THE
COFOUNDER AND PRESIDENT OF THE
MICHIGAN URBAN FARMING
INITIATIVE.
>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
>> Tati: LET’S TALK ABOUT HOW
THE PANDEMIC HAS IMPACTED YOUR
EFFORT TO GROW IN THE URBAN
GARDENS AND GET THE FRESH
PRODUCE OUT TO THE COMMUNITY.
>> IT’S BEEN INTERESTING.
WE’RE A 100% VOLUNTEER-RUN
ORGANIZATION.
WE’RE USED TO HAVING 2500
VOLUNTEERS ANNUALLY.
AND VIRTUALLY ALL OF OUR BIG
GROUPS HAVE CANCELED FOR THE
YEAR, SO THE PRESSURE HAS BEEN
ON FOR OUR INTERNS AND MYSELF TO
GET IT DONE WITHOUT A LOT OF THE
LABOR FORCE WE NORMALLY HAVE.
WE’RE PULLING IT TOGETHER.
THE DEMAND IS STILL THERE AND WE
HAVE PEOPLE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD
AND OUR REGULARS FROM THE LARGER
DETROIT AREA ARE STILL COMING.
SO I THINK WE’LL PULL IT
TOGETHER.
>> Tati: HOW DO YOU FIND THE
LAND TO GET THINGS STARTED?
>> IT’S REALLY COMPLICATED.
IT TOOK US ALMOST A DECADE TO
SECURE SITE CONTROL FOR OUR MAIN
CAMPUS.
WE SORT OF ENDED UP HERE BY
CHANCE.
AND NOW WE’RE PERMANENTLY IN THE
NORTH END.
I LIVE HERE, I’M ACROSS THE
STREET FROM THE FARM ITSELF.
IT’S REALLY A BIG AND
COMPLICATED SPACE TO NAVIGATE
LAND IN THE CITY.
>> Tati: SO WHAT DID THE
COMMUNITY DO TO HELP AND SUPPORT
YOU?
>> SO THE ORGANIZATION ITSELF IS
LARGELY COMMUNITY DRIVEN.
I AM A RESIDENT.
WE’VE BEEN WORKING HERE FOR
ALMOST A DECADE NOW.
THERE’S A LOT OF OVERLAP
BETWEEN -- I GUESS LEADERSHIP
BETWEEN NEIGHBORHOOD
ORGANIZATIONS AND THE URBAN FARM
ITSELF.
WE WORK ACTIVELY WITH THE BLOCK
CLUB.
A LOT OF OUR ONGOING VOLUNTEERS
ARE PEOPLE THAT LIVE WITHIN A
COUPLE BLOCKS.
THIS YEAR, A LOT OF OUR
TRANSPLANTS WERE GROWN BY PEOPLE
WHO LIVE IN THE AREA, SO WE HAVE
ONE NEIGHBOR THAT GREW, YOU
KNOW, A QUARTER OF THE PEPPER
PLANTS WE HAVE IN THE FIELD AND
GREW THEM IN HER GREENHOUSE SHE
HAS IN HER BACKYARD.
THERE’S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT
SPECIFICALLY PURCHASED HOUSES
BECAUSE THEY LOVED THE FARM.
IT’S -- I THINK IT’S A
CASE-BY-CASE BASIS, AND THERE’S
A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE FARM
AND ANYBODY THAT LIVES IN THE
IMMEDIATE AREA.
>> Tati: THAT’S GREAT.
AND A SENSE OF COMMUNITY ON ITS
OWN.
WHERE CAN THEY GET MORE
INFORMATION?
>> ON OUR WEBSITE AND WE’RE
ACTIVE ON FACEBOOK, THE MICHIGAN
URBAN FARMING INITIATIVE.
WE HAVE AN INSTAGRAM PAGE.
CALL OR TEXT.
WE STRONGLY PREFER TEXT
MESSAGES.
313-444-6834.
AND E-MAILS, TOO.
ALL OF THAT IS ON THE WEBSITE.
>> Tati: THANKS FOR BEING WITH
US!
GREAT WORK YOU GUYS ARE DOING.