Is there any commercial farming in Detroit?...

**Al Publican** · June-12-11, 02:22 AM

I read several years ago that plots of land in western Wayne County were being leased out for commercial farming; not sure what city or township.

Is there still a Farm-A-Lot program in Detroit or something similar to it? When I'm back in town and see all that savanna-like land on the east side, I find myself thinking that there is gold in them thar vacant plots for growing stuff.

**DetroitPlanner** · June-12-11, 03:50 AM

Townships in Wayne that still have farms include Van Buren, Brownstown, Sumpter, Canton, Northville, and Plymouth. In addition the Cities of Romulus and Taylor have a few farms. Up until a few years back the Ford Motor Company was farming quite a few acres in the Greenfield/Ford Rd area but stopped and built some offices for Visteon that sat nearly vacant for a few years!

While people grow food in the City proper, I am unaware of any legal cash crops being farmed. Other cash crops are grown, but you won't find those in farms!

**canuck** · June-12-11, 07:07 AM

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

Townships in Wayne that still have farms include Van Buren, Brownstown, Sumpter, Canton, Northville, and Plymouth. In addition the Cities of Romulus and Taylor have a few farms. Up until a few years back the Ford Motor Company was farming quite a few acres in the Greenfield/Ford Rd area but stopped and built some offices for Visteon that sat nearly vacant for a few years!

While people grow food in the City proper, I am unaware of any legal cash crops being farmed. Other cash crops are grown, but you won't find those in farms!

Yes, I think they call them hempty fields!

**skyl4rk** · June-12-11, 07:57 AM

There is a lot of hay being mowed on empty lots in the city, I'm not sure if it is being harvested.

**Meddle** · June-12-11, 09:03 AM

I find myself thinking that there is gold in them thar vacant plots for growing stuff.

Vacant lots where houses used to be? I think there'd be way too much junk underground to be able to plow and plant anything commercially. Gas lines, water lines, cables, bits of concrete and brick, leftover steel and other junk metal, old fence posts and poles.