There’s some really interesting urban farming news tucked deep inside IMCA’s recent case study of Decatur entitled, “Healthy Decatur: A Holistic Approach to Sustainability“.  (h/t: 231 Sycamore)

First up, word of a possible community garden close to public housing…

[Active Living Director Dan] Magee has since contemplated starting a community garden near public housing run by the city’s Housing Authority. He is considering possible locations within the neighborhood or at a recreation center, and has made it a priority to identify champions who can build community support, involvement, and a sense of ownership. “That’s the community that needs it most,” he said, noting these residents’ poor access to healthy foods.

Secondly, a recent agreement with the United Methodist Children’s Home to convert two acres of their land into an urban farm…

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I’m still on record that I love this idea, right?

The Decatur Minute has a great sketch of what the city-sponsored “Oakhurst Farm” or “Oakhurst Urban Garden” between 2nd and 3rd Avenue in Oakhurst could look like.

With the help of resident and landscape designer Lindsey Mann, the idea for the farm has been floating around city hall for a few years, but it now finally has the funding it needs to move forward.  According to the Minute, the first planning meeting for the farm will take place next Wednesday at 7p at the Solarium.

Click the sketch to the right to view a larger version over on The Decatur Minute.

From the Oakhurst Community Garden website…

Join us for our fourth season as we grow another round of healthy, organic seedlings in partnership with Gaia Gardens. You will find just about all you need for your spring and summer garden: vegetables, flowers, and herbs.

April 10, 6-8 p.m.: Garden member preview of the big plant sale

April 11, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.: Big Plant Sale! More than 100 varieties of tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, herbs, flower, perennials, and shrubs will be available.

435 Oakview Road, Decatur, GA 30030

h/t:  InDecatur

During the keynote address at the Georgia Organics Conference this past weekend, the city of Decatur, Agnes Scott, the DBA, the Oakhurst Community Garden, and Georgia Organics officially announced the city’s “agricultural initiative.”

I followed up with city manager Peggy Merriss and she sent along this note/release.  From the sound of it, “urban farming” is just the tip of the iceberg.

On Saturday March 21st, at the Georgia Organics 12th Annual Conference & Trade Show, Decatur City Manager Peggy Merriss, along with Agnes Scott College’s Director of Sustainability Susan Kidd and Georgia Organics Executive Director Alice Rolls announced the creation of the Decatur Agricultural Initiative (DAI) designed to bring together community partners around the issue of growing food locally. The Initiative currently involves Agnes Scott College, the City of Decatur, City Schools of Decatur, Decatur Business Association, Georgia Organics and the Oakhurst Community Garden.

Among the first tasks that the group will undertake will be the creation of a Master Plan that will identify existing community-based efforts into one unified plan.

The partners intend to take a comprehensive approach resulting in providing a variety of agricultural products, including food, which would be available through local producers and markets.

Examples of some possible outcomes might include: stronger community support for farmers markets, co-operative purchase of environmentally sensitive products, education programs designed for children and youth to be able to plant and support their own gardens, and more.

The possibilities are exciting and all of the partners are looking forward to working together on this brand new DAI in Decatur. “