Establishing a Regional Community Food Project in Rural Northeast Michigan

View the project final report

• 2008 annual report

Commodities

• Agronomic: barley, oats, potatoes, rye, sunflower
• Vegetables: beans, beets, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, celery, cucurbits, eggplant, garlic, greens (leafy), leeks, onions, peas (culinary), peppers, radishes (culinary), sweet corn, tomatoes, turnips
• Additional Plants: herbs
• Animals: bovine, poultry
• Miscellaneous: mushrooms

Practices

• Animal Production: free-range, grazing management
• Crop Production: conservation tillage
• Education and Training: demonstration, mentoring, networking, workshop, youth education
• Farm Business Management: whole farm planning, new enterprise development, budgets/cost and returns, community-supported agriculture, marketing management
• Natural Resources/Environment: hedges - grass
• Pest Management: physical control, row covers (for pests), mulching - vegetative
• Production Systems: holistic management, organic agriculture
• Soil Management: green manures, organic matter, soil quality/health
• Sustainable Communities: local and regional food systems, new business opportunities, public participation, community services, employment opportunities, social networks

This initiative will continue to develop a community supported agriculture (CSA) farm operation in rural Northeast Michigan to provide fresh, healthy produce to the needy while providing opportunities for at-risk youth and other community members to participate in a local food initiative. The project will also support the development of new enterprises and cooperative marketing of locally grown and produced food and farm products.