Oh zoning, you so dated.

This story’s actually been on many people’s radar for quite a while.  Creative Loafing actually wrote a story about it way back in 2008.  Since then , Mr. Miller has had his property rezoned to allow farming for profit, but DeKalb is prosecuting for the past zoning violations.

Channel 2 picked up the story and it’s already made it’s way to the Drudge Report.  (h/t: DeKalb Officers)

UPDATE: jkga provides a link to the Midway Woods Garden’s website.

Decatur Metro’s undercover, urban gardener reporter sends in photographic evidence of an urban garden in an abandoned subdivision development just outside the Decatur city limits on Oldfield Road.

Another pic and a map of the garden’s location after the jump.

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THIS is great.

Our Community Farm Project is located at 121 Sams Street in Decatur, GA. We are a start-up, urban farm led by experienced Burundi farmers who’ve come to metro-Atlanta as refugees and supported by a group of Burundi women, joining together to grow food, exchange farming knowledge, and to develop a greater understanding of farming practice in the ATLanta area. The farm will also provide the families who are often facing food security risks with healthy food for their tables.

Our Goal: Working in partnership with Susan Pavlin and Refugee Family Services, our mission is to provide these women with practical farm experience, workshops and trips to local farmers markets in order to create new opportunities in production, distribution and marketing.

Stop by their blog for recent updates and pics – including the one above – of their latest efforts and harvests. 

Thanks to “For the Birds” for forwarding. (for, for, for!)

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.