Contact:
313-757-2635 keepgrowingdetroit@gmail.com
Detroitagriculture.net
Keep Growing Detroit (KGD) exists to promote a food sovereign city where the majority of fruits and vegetables Detroiters consume are grown by residents within the city’s limits. Our approach to achieving our mission facilitates beginner gardeners becoming engaged community leaders and food entrepreneurs, addressing the immediate needs of the community while promoting sustainable change in our food system. To these ends, KGD operates a number of nationally recognized programs including the Garden Resource Program (GRP), which supports a network of 1,400 urban gardens and farms and Grown in Detroit (GID), which provides more than 60 urban gardeners with opportunities to sell the fruits and vegetables they grow at local market outlets. Our staff also operates the Plum Street Market Garden, a 1.75-acre urban farm, produce aggregation center, and
teaching facility located in the heart of downtown Detroit.
Services Offered:
Extensive resources and support for gardens and farms in Detroit, Hamtramck, and Highland Park through a variety of programs, including the Garden Resource Program (seeds, transplants, additional resources), Urban Garden Education Series (workshops, cooking classes, farm tours), and Grown in Detroit (gardeners and farmers selling collectively at farmers’ markets and to wholesale customers). We also offer a variety of technical assistance opportunities, including Office Hours, garden development support, land acquisition support, and season extension support.
WHAT ASSISTANCE DO YOU OFFER FOR PEOPLE OR GROUPS INTERESTED IN STARTING AN URBAN AGRICULTURE PROJECT? WHAT TYPES OF PROJECTS (FARM, COMMUNITY GARDEN, MARKET GARDEN, HOUSEHOLD GARDEN) CAN YOU WORK WITH?
KGD supports all types of gardens, as long as they are located in Detroit, Hamtramck, or Highland Park. We practice and advocate for sustainable farming practices. Therefore, we don’t distribute or use chemical pesticides or herbicides or GMO seed.
HOW CAN GROWERS ACCESS YOUR SERVICES?
It’s never too late to join the Garden Resource Program! Applications are available on our website and during Open Hours.
·Visit us during Open Hours: Tuesdays 5-7pm March-October
Thursday 5-7pm April - June
Fridays 9am-Noon April-October
at the Plum Street Market Garden (2202 Third St. across from the MGM Grand Casino parking garage).
Contact us by phone or email and we’ll connect you to the best staff person to support you.
WHERE SHOULD GROWERS BE IN THE PROCESS WHEN THEY CONTACT YOU? EXAMPLES: THEY HAVE AN IDEA BUT ARE NOT SURE HOW TO PROCEED; THEY HAVE A PROJECT AND A SITE PLAN BUT DO NOT HAVE CONTROL OF THE SITE YET; THEY HAVE ATTEMPTED TO BUY LAND THROUGH DLBA AND BEEN REJECTED; THEY ARE A FLOURISHING CONCERN AND READY TO MAKE IT A FOR-PROFIT BUSINESS, ETC.
We support gardeners at every level – from just thinking about starting a garden to operating a small farm business.
WHAT KIND OF PROJECTS CAN YOU NOT TAKE ON DUE TO FUNDING RESTRICTIONS, YOUR SCOPE OF SERVICE, A LACK OF FIT WITH YOUR MISSION, STAFF AVAILABILITY, ETC.? TO WHOM WOULD YOU REFER IN THAT CASE?
Our focus is gardens and farms in Detroit, Hamtramck, and Highland Park. We can either refer growers from other areas to partner organizations doing similar work or (in select cases) work on a contractual basis to provide programs or services outside of our target area.
WHAT KIND OF LEAD TIME, IF ANY, CAN PEOPLE EXPECT BETWEEN WHEN THEY CONTACT YOU AND WHEN YOU CAN BEGIN WORKING WITH THEM?
We do our best to respond to calls and emails within 24-48 hours.
WHAT FEES DO YOU CHARGE FOR YOUR SERVICES?
The Garden Resource Program is $10 for a family garden and $20 for a school, community, or market garden. This is an annual fee, which we can waive if you are financially unable to pay. If you are requesting support on a significant sized project, we’ll talk through how much support we can provide and at what cost.
WHAT ELSE SHOULD PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT YOUR ORGANIZATION?
Please visit our website for more detailed information on our programs, resources, support, and expertise. And please reach out if you have a gardening or farming project in the city. We’re here to help!