Motown to Growtown: Detroit’s New Food System Grows

While foreclosures, unemployment, and rising food and energy prices affect the lives of many

Americans, thousands of Detroiters are taking control of their health and the health of their city by

building a new food system from the ground up. This new food economy provides more equitable

access to fresh, chemical-free food, uses less land, and is more accessible for consumers than

conventional models. On Wednesday, August 5

th, we invite you to view this new urban food landscapeth Annual Detroit Agriculture Network Tour of Urban Gardens and Farms.aatkinson@umich.edu. When registering, please give the name of every personwww.detroitagriculture.org or

at the 12

This year’s tour will highlight a selection of prosperous, innovative, and visually stunning gardens and

farms that are contributing to the new food system through bio-intensive urban agriculture and

commerce between local restaurants and farmer’s markets. The Garden Resource Program

Collaborative works to support the emergence of a new, sustainable food system in Detroit through a

network of more than 517 backyard gardens, 244 community gardens, and 46 school gardens. The

GRPC facilitates resources, education, and training of urban gardeners, farmers, and community leaders

through a variety of programming.

Last year’s sell-out tour was attended by over 500 people from across the region. In order to

accommodate the growing number of participants, this year’s tour will feature four simultaneous

routes. The bus tours will visit east-side, west-side, and central city gardens, while the bicycle tour will

weave through gardens located in the Cass Corridor, Woodbridge, and Greater Corktown. All tours will

leave from Catherine Ferguson Academy located at 2750 Selden in Detroit. Sign-in begins at 5:00pm

and tours will leave at 6:00pm sharp. After the tour, locally-grown food and refreshments prepared by

local chefs will provide you with a taste of Detroit’s new food system. Registration is now open and

early registration is strongly recommended. You can register by contacting Ashley Atkinson at 313-237-

8736 or via email at

attending the tour. The fee for the tours is a sliding scale of $1 - $20 to offset costs and help grow

Detroit’s agricultural movement.

Detroit Agriculture Network’s mission is to promote and foster urban agriculture and the sustainable use

and appreciation of urban natural resources. The Detroit Agriculture Network, Earthworks Urban Farm/

Capuchin Soup Kitchen, The Greening of Detroit, and Michigan State University Extension work

collaboratively to support community, school, and family gardens in Detroit, Highland Park, and

Hamtramck. To participate in the Garden Resource Program, learn more about urban gardening

programs in the city, or to make a tax-deductible contribution, visit

contact the Garden Resource Program Collaborative at 313-237-8736.

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