How Detroit entrepreneurs turn abandoned buildings into a source for fresh produce by Kyndal Wilson

18 Aug How Detroit entrepreneurs turn abandoned buildings into a source for fresh produce by Kyndal Wilson

In 2014, Detroit had more than 78,000 vacant buildings, and now local entrepreneurs are transforming some of those abandoned buildings into indoor farms to produce local foods. This new concept is growing (no pun intended) to include vacant spaces used to produce lettuce, basil, kale, and even fish farming, year-round.

“Fifteen, 20 years from now, we want people to say, ‘Of course they grow kale in that building,’ ” said Ron Reynolds, co-founder of Green Collar Foods Ltd. GCF’s urban environment mission is “to empower a select group of local residents with both the agricultural & technological tools that are required to successfully combat food deserts, supplement nutritional gaps, and produce specialty crops that yield a strong financial return.” In 2015, GCF built its first indoor-farming research hub in Eastern Market’s Shed 5.

The Detroit News reports that in response to Detroit’s flourishing community garden scene, the city adopted a zoning ordinance in 2013 to “legalize urban farming that was popping up all over the city”.

Since then, at least three other indoor farms have opened in 7,000-square-foot spaces. They grow and sell local, fresh foods to the local citizens. Knowing how expensive it is to buy healthy, organic foods, more people are turning to either growing their own gardens or are opting out of buying from controversial grocery chains and buying from local farmers instead. Everyone should have access to fresh, healthy food.

“I think they found their stride,” said Randy Walker, operations director for Central Detroit Christian Farm and Fishery. “We were employing people, that was the goal. We were educating people and producing food. We met our goal.”

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