Friday, July 16, 2010

Lee Bey: Farming as a solution to the problem of vacant land

Basically Lee Bey's recent post uses Detroit's example to suggest urban farming in Chicago. In fact his first picture appears to be right in the Englewood neighborhood off of 63rd & Halsted. I believe in the past we have posted about an urban farm in the Englewood neighborhood.

Now Chatham isn't home to vast vacant lots of course that's not to say none exist. Well this post doesn't have to be limited to Chatham. The 6th Ward has some parts of Englewood in it as well.

The idea is until we do finally find something to build on the various vacant lots within our community we should turn them into gardens. Especially growing food if you believe we live in a "food desert". It would be a great service to the community instead of letting such lots grow weeds and collect trash of all kinds.

This reminds me I know that the CAPCC blog likes to throw out many ideas for the revitalization of Chatham. This ought to be one of them. Who knows if this community will be home to R&D companies and foster the next technology entrepreneur.

Then again who knows if a Wal-Mart will ever be built at Chatham Market. Until it is decided what will be built there that is a perfect place for a garden or urban farm. Well perfect unless it's time for a ground breaking for whatever will be placed there on the site.

What do you think about gardens/urban farms in our community?

3 comments:

  1. You can see at the CCC facebook page many of our residents are open for it. The community gardern on 65th Woodlawn is a great model and it could be implemented in Chatham. I would make a suggestions about some land but it would only stir up controversy, lol.

    As far as Englewood the Alderman's "green project" will start on a lot at 71st Wentworth in Englewood.

    Lastly, we don't live in a food dessert. All of our grocery stores carry FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES along with the farmer markets that are available in the community. While I do agree we have an overabundance of fast food restaurants we are far from a food dessert.

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  2. Thanks for the clarification Worlee. I agree with you we do not live in a food desert although in reading a lot of the coverage of the Wal-Mart debate that is a common refrain for this area never mind that we still have Chatham Food Market, Jewel, Pete's Produce, and Food 4 Less in the area. To name a few grocery stores with fresh produce that I can name off the top of my head.

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  3. We may not be a food desert, but we are also far from being treated fairly.

    i guess i am still a bit sore that The Jewel's at 87th & Dan Ryan, 75th & Stony Island & 95th & Stony Island don't carry diabetic bread...not that our family NEEDS it (more for better health), but it's available at 95th & Ashland...why do they deserve "nice stuff" & we don't...i understand focusing on products that appeal to certain communities...but don't we have a significant diabetic population that warrants such food???

    Wal-Mart won't solve that, but perhaps the gardens can help.

    And i'll start the controversy --- the land that CAPCC owns near 83rd & King could easily be made into a garden.

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