People’s Garden established in Chicago to produce local food
Teaching the next generation about agriculture
By Martha Blum
Agro News
June 02, 2022
Excerpt:
The first of 17 People’s Gardens across the United States is open in Chicago.
The new garden is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s People’s Garden Initiative and it is located at the Urban Transformation Network at Metropolitan Farms.
“The Urban Transformation Network at Metro Farms is a perfect fit for the People’s Garden as you increase access to nutritional, local food, support local food systems and improve lives,” said Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack.
“You’re doing amazing things from raised outdoor garden beds to training and education, use of volunteers, aquaponics and expanding new garden sites on vacant lots,” said Vilsack during the ribbon-cutting event. “USDA funds used together with that hard work will help make it even more productive.”
The USDA is “the people’s department,” Vilsack said.
“What we’re doing here will have a powerful impact in the lives of people in the local community,” he said.
The aquaponic farm at Metro Farms includes six 800-gallon fish tanks for tilapia.
