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We have a new website:

http://lansingurbanfarmproject.wordpress.com/

Urban Farm Takes Root in "Forgotten" Lansing Neighborhood

Hear about us from WKAR!

USDA-Farmers Market Promotion Program Award

Urbandale Farm, the first non-profit urban farm in Lansing, Michigan, has been awarded $90,209 by USDA-Farmers Market Promotion Program.

The two year grant, administered by Allen Neighborhood Center (ANC), will be used to 1) increase access to affordable fresh produce for the Urbandale Neighborhood by developing various marketing strategies, including a mobile “veggie cart” run by youth in the summer; 2) increase the number of growers who raise and market fresh produce in Lansing on otherwise vacant land through a six-month farm apprenticeship program targeted to young adults from the neighborhood; and 3) catalyze additional urban farms in Lansing by working with partner organizations focused on food security, land use, job creation, and community development.

Urbandale farm established spring 2010 is the first project of the Lansing Urban Farm Project (LUFP), a Michigan non-profit recently co-founded by Laura DeLind and Linda Anderson. Urbandale is a neighborhood bounded by I-496, I-127, Kalamazoo, and Clemens, and is located in one of Lansing’s most flood-prone areas. Farming began on an a half acre of vacant land in the Urbandale neighborhood on Lansing’s Eastside. The land is being leased from the Ingham County Land Bank. The project also works closely the Allen Neighborhood Center, an organization that serves as a hub for community development on the Eastside of Lansing.

Established in the 1920’s Urbandale was the first suburb of Lansing to provide affordable housing for auto workers, the neighborhood consists of large lots with mature trees, a mix of long-time and recent residents, and, increasingly, vacant lots and empty houses. Today, development is limited because of the area’s flood-plain status and urban agriculture is one way to tranform vacant lots into productive and welcoming spaces. At Urbandale Farm, neighbors have been involved in every stage from cleaning up the lot last spring through final fall harvests. The farm is beginning to serve as a commons where neighbors meet each other and a neighborhood block party has been planned. The new USDA grant will support the farm as it continues to grow both food and community in this historic neighborhood.

Other LUFP collaborators include The Garden Project (of the Greater Lansing Food Bank) and The City of Lansing's Office of Planning and Neighborhood Development.

For more information, call us at 517-999-3916.

Lansing Urban Farm Project in the Press

Read what the press has to say about us:

Michigan State University News
MSU Professors Help Create Lansing's First Urbandale Farm
Growing Prosperity; Urban Farms bring economic and health benefits to Michigan Cities
Lansing Urban Farm Project Receives Federal Support (New Article!)

City Pulse
Urban-Gardendale
Funding for the Farm (New Article!)

Greening of the Great Lakes
MSU Professors Help Create Lansing's First Urbandale Farm

WKAR: Public Broadcasting from East Lansing
Fields of Opportunity
Urban Farm Takes Root in Forgotten Lansing Neighborhood (Newest!)

Thank you, Volunteers!

The Urbandale Farm Work-A-Thon was highly productive!

With the help of the Work-A-Thon crew and other work party volunteers,
we started winterizing the farm...

Here's the "after" shot!

Our next Work Day is Saturday, October 23.
Noon-3pm

Work-a-Thon

Urbandale Farm

Work-a-thon

Saturday, October 9^th

Sunday, October 10^th

Noon - 4:00pm

(Join us for both days, one day,

or even just an hour or two)

Please join us for the Urbandale Farm Work-a-Thon!

There will be much to do in the field to put the farm to bed and in the house to make it livable. Expect to get dirty (maybe even extremely dirty) so wear old clothes. Bring a water bottle, gloves, and face mask (i.e., dust mask) if you have them. We'll have a few extra if you need one. We’ll also provide light snacks.

Other October work days: Saturday, October 16^th and Saturday, October 23^rd, noon-3pm.

Please consider bringing the following materials and tools with you

(Carefully marked with your name on them):

rags
buckets
plastic bags
putty knife or linoleum scraper
step ladder
broom
shovel
tree pruners
hammer
saw
screw driver
needle nosed pliers

Directions to Urbandale Farm— 653 S Hayford: From Michigan Avenue or Kalamazoo Street, turn South on S Hayford (in between S Foster and S Magnolia). Continue South almost until the road ends in a cul-de-sac. Parking is along the west side of S Hayford.

Farm Stand Information

Urbandale Farm Stand

Look for an update in Spring 2011 for the next farm stand!

September
Saturdays 9am-noon
Tuesdays 5pm-7pm

Discounts for Urbandale Residents and Volunteers
(Fresh, quality produce for all)

Also at the Allen Street Farmer's Market on Wednesdays 2:30 - 6:30pm

July Produce
Zucchini, Yellow Squash, Green Beans, and Lettuce

August Produce
Tomatoes, Bell Peppers, Hot Peppers, Collards, Chard, Basil,
Flowers, Zucchini, Yellow Squash, Green Beans, and Lettuce

September Produce
Tomatoes, Bell Peppers, Green Beans, Jalapeno Peppers,
Hungarian Wax Peppers, Squash, Chard, Basil, and Flowers

Zucchini Nut Bread

This recipe is one of our customer's favorite zucchini recipes. She told us that she tested many recipes over many years, and this recipe is the best. Enjoy!

Ingredients
2 cups sifted flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
3 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 cups grated zucchini
2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1 cup raisins
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Procedure

1. Sift flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon into a bowl.
2. In another bowl, combine eggs, oil, sugar, zucchini, vanilla, and lemon extract, beat thoroughly.
3. Stir flour mixture into zucchini mixture until smooth. Add raisins and nuts and stir to combine.
4. Pour into 2 greased 9x5-inch loaf pans or muffin tins.
5. Bake 40 minutes for loaf pans or 20 minutes for muffins. They are done when the center springs back when they are lightly touched.
   

Tomato Festival

You're Invited to the

Urbandale Tomato Festival

Eat ‘em

Red, Green and In-between

Where: Urbandale Farm, 653 S. Hayford

When: Saturday, September 4^th ; 10:00- 2:00 p.m.

Come join us for:

Tomato Tasting - more than 8 varieties of tomatoes to taste!

Fried Green Tomatoes

Recipes and Tomato Lore

Urbandale Farm Stand - Tomatoes available as well as green beans, squash, bell and hot peppers, basil, chard.

Farm Stand is OPEN!

Find us at the farm (653 S. Hayford) on
Tuesdays 5-7pm and Saturdays 9am-noon in September.
And at the Allen Street Farmer's Market on Wednesdays in September.

Our dedicated neighbor always helps with farm stand.

We also attended the Sparrow Hospital Market.