Who we are!
Hello! City Rising Farm is an urban agriculture education program in the heart of Cleveland, OH.
Our mission is to help people in underserved communities learn to grow fresh local food and build healthy long lasting relationships with each other so they can use those skills and relationships to create opportunities in their own neighborhoods.
We have an amazing team of volunteers and community partners and while it is an all volunteer program now it is our hope to provide employment and entrepreneurship opportunities in the future.
What we do!
The first location we are working in is the Hough Neighborhood on the east side of Cleveland. Notorious for the riots of the 1960’s some Hough residents felt stigmatized by the perception cast that the community was a haven for drugs and violence. Many people who had only known of the neighborhood through the media had long ago written it off.
Through the work of the residents and community partners, Hough is on the rise! Pride in the community is evident in the excitement of people who not only live in the neighborhood, but also of those who feel free to visit and participate in activities in Hough.
How it helps!
Currently fresh local food is difficult to find in the Hough Neighborhood. By showing people how to grow their own whether it is at home or a community garden we will be helping people empower themselves with options that directly benefit them, their community and the environment.
Our first project was developing a community garden. After much discourse around the subject of land use we broke ground on the Blaine Avenue Community Garden on June 12, 2010. The success of this project has allowed us to provide programming and community building activities at the site that is open to all.
Join us!
We are now poised to embark on the next leg of this journey, and as we do so we are asking you to become a partner in this young renaissance. Please note that although our programming is situated in Hough for easy access of the residents it is open to everyone no matter what community they are from. Inclusion creates friendships and opportunities!
All donations are routed through our new fiscal agent, Burten Bell Carr Development, Inc. and are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
A photo history of our journey can be found at the following link. We hope you'll join us on this journey as well! https://picasaweb.google.com/117417241875462723468.
Through the 2013-2014 program we hope to accomplish the following:
- Provide educational opportunities for youth through seniors in urban agriculture, community building, gardening, art, environmental stewardship and advocacy.
- Develop the market garden infrastructure including 2 hoop houses, and further development of the BlaineAvenueCommunityGarden adding planting beds, seating, and art.
- Install sustainable food gardens at up 10 residences that will serve as mini urban agriculture education sites on 10 streets around Hough. This will include soil testing, providing the appropriate planting plans based on soil test results and site specifics, soil, soil amendments, plants, continuing education and support through workshops and site visits. Residents will become environmental stewards and be able to educate others on how to grow fresh local food and provide environmental education in their own neighborhood.
- Install a solar powered watering system at the community and market gardens
- Install an herb garden that will contain nursery stock and educational signage at the community gardens
Other Ways You Can Help
Please feel free to forward this appeal on to your family, friends, and anyone you feel may be interested in supporting this worthy cause. Additionally please feel free to visit, volunteer and/or participate in any of our workshops and gardens. A wish list is published on our website and that is another way to help.