"City Fresh"

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"City Fresh"

Met with Meegan Kresge who is involved with Cleveland's new "City Fresh" project. Sponsored by Ohio State University's Agricultural Extension (and a number of other organizations), City Fresh is about inspiring "small scale agriculture" in the city. Ms. Kresge has just completed a 10-week City Fresh course that trains potential "city farmers" in such areas as: growing, composting, selling to area restaurants and other markets… Ms. Kresge said she is working to get a grant, and other financing, to turn part of an old, abandoned parking lot on Cleveland's near Westside into a pretty substantial garden/farm. Ms. Kresge said Cleveland's "Forest Service" will drop off free wood chips that will be laid 12 inches thick over the asphalt. This will then be layered with a good amount of topsoil made from composting. Then the plot will be ready for planting… Ms. Kresge said we will start seeing more of this local urban growing across the country as oil prices continue to climb. And with this, peoples' understanding of how "freshness" adds to a food's nutritional value will increase as well. Note: During her City Fresh course work, Ms. Kresge said a concept which really fascinated her was the: "Mobile Market." That is, people were encouraged to consider pulling "veggie carts" around the neighborhoods. I mean, why not. The ice cream guy does it. And what's better for you anyway, huh?

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