Sk8Liborius Fire ‘Destroyed’ Nearby Detroit Urban Farm
New Roots Urban Farm lost between 5,000 to 7,000 pounds of food
By Monica Obradovic
RFT
Jun 30, 2023
Excerpt:
Adams says water, soot and debris from the fire has destroyed the crops and soil of New Roots Urban Farm. The farm grows free fruit and vegetables for the nearby community just down the street from Sk8Liborius.
“We grow a little bit of everything to raise awareness of eating healthy, getting outside and doing it on your own,” Adams says.
In all, Adams says he lost between 5,000 to 7,000 pounds of food that was supposed to be harvested this season and about 25 chicks that drowned in firemen’s water. Several plants remain on the farm, but with the possibility of pollutants from the fire contaminating the food, Adam says he doesn’t want to chance any health risks.
“Everything is pretty much destroyed,” Adams says.
Adams received a call about the fire in the church’s rectory around 11:30 p.m. Wednesday. About an hour after he arrived on site, he started to hear crackling noises, and the church’s roof caved in.
New Roots is one St. Louis’ largest urban farms, according to Adams. He seeks to bust “food apartheid,” or segregation of access to nutritious food, in north St. Louis.
Adams plans to regrow the farm in the same spot. As a farmer since age 7, his mission isn’t one he could easily let go.
