Guest speaker Malik Yakini on food security, Wednesday June 30 @ Glenwood Lutheran

Wednesday, June 30, 6:30pm @ Glenwood Lutheran Church (2545 Monroe St.)

Malik Yakini is chairman of the Detroit Food Policy Council, chairman of the Detroit Black Community Food Security Network, executive director of Nsoroma Institute and recipient of the 2006 Administrator of the Year award given by the Michigan Association of Public School Academies.

This presentation is free and open to the public.

Below is a video of Mr. Yakini giving a tour of D-Town Farm, one of the best-practices of urban farming in Detroit and a favorite stop on the annual Detroit Garden Tour.

Interview with local leader about food security

Here's a short interview by Sandusky-area news blog Erie Wire with local activist and academic Paula Ross talking about sustainable food systems. Ms. Ross is the founder of Slow Food Maumee.

Good morning ladies....

Television feature on GROWs

Channel 36 ran a feature on Toledo GROWs last night peeking behind the greenhouse curtain and expounding the benefits of community based urban agriculture...

Enriching communities through gardens

TOLEDO, Ohio (WUPW) -- Urban agriculture is growing across the area.

In fact when Toledo Grows began 12 years ago there were about a handful of the small community gardens. Now there are more than 80 and the goal is to create at least 100 by next year.

The urban gardens are a way to turn empty fields into beautiful additions to neighborhoods.

“It’s often times done in unusual places,” said Toledo Grows Manager Michael Szuberla. “Its not a big farm field its just two vacant lots in the city and what you could do with some inspiration and the right resources is pretty amazing.”

The program is part of the Toledo Botanical Garden. People are given the resources and education to plant all sorts of herbs, produce and flowers.

Not only does it provide access to healthy foods for people who might not otherwise be able to obtain them, it’s also a great way to save.

“Given the state of the economy people are looking to save money any way they can,” said Szuberla. “If you can go out and do a positive activity with your grandchildren and children and at the same time reduce your budget it’s a double victory for everyone.”

Sixth Annual Seed Swap
Saturday, Feb. 27

Seed Swap 12-3 p.m.
Wildwood Metropark5100 West Central Ave.
Toledo, 43615

Workshops 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Toledo Botanical Garden
5403 Elmer Dr.
Toledo, 43615

Urban Forest [Design] Project

The Urban Forest Project recently solicited local graphic artists to design banners for "a forest of thoughtful images in the urban landscape and [to] raise awareness of sustainability and youth mentoring."

Fifty of the 140 submissions will be hung throughout the city this spring celebrating Earth day. After the public exhibition the banners will be recycled into tote bags and sold to benefit the Young Artists At Work program.

The ever active Enjoying Toledo blog recounted the January launching of the fifty banners at the gallery Space 237.

Here's Toledo.com footage of interviews from the art opening:

Video of Wayne Roberts presentation

Here is the documentation (hosted by WGTE's Knowledge Stream) of Wayne Roberts's recent presentation on green economics and sustainable agriculture at the downtown library.

MSU colleague presentation on sustainable agriculture

One of the contacts we met at this summer's tour of Detroit's community gardens was MSU's youth and community food activist Anne Scott. Anne works for the C.S. Mott Group for Sustainable Agriculture. Above is the Mott Group's director, Michael Hamm's, recent presentation at the Green Town Conference @ Grand Valley State University this past July on sustainable agriculture.