Everybody loves fresh, local produce, but many, low-income neighborhoods do not always have easy access. Juliet’s Urban Farm & Market will not only provide fresh, naturally grown food to the low-income neighborhood, but will teach new ways to make money growing food, how to market it online, preserving food, and how to get lots of produce in a small place.
Small urban farms are needed to feed the hungry. Urban farms can feasibly earn upwards of $100,000 a year, if training and support are provided, as well as crowdfunding. This type of farming can help people make an income from home, become self sufficient, and provide food for high risk communities. The youth can be taught, which in turn can lower crime, feed families, which is also a cause of crime. This is one of the goals of Juliet’s Urban Farm & Market.
By utilizing innovative farming techniques, urban farming can be very self sustainable. Because low income neighborhoods, such as the one where this farm will be located, have little to no funds, crowdfunding is a better option than obtaining debt, by way of loans.
Urban farming also has easy access to soup kitchens, charities and Loaves & Fishes, and farmers can be encouraged to give back, by way of planting an extra row to donate. Juliet’s Urban Farm & Market will strive to be a model for more farms in the Kalamazoo area, as well as nationwide.
The city of Kalamazoo is very supportive of growing food and offer many vacant lots to residents, through their land bank program, for as little as $20 a year. Many local business support this effort.
Seminars will be held on site, starting in summer 2019.
For more info contact Juliet Sanchez julietrs1@gmail.com
