Foodshed Site Links

Community Gardens
Our community gardens committee is working to develop a community garden support organization for the Grand Rapids area, a mapping effort of existing and potential gardens and a survey to determine existing activity and needs among gardeners and the community. For more information contact Travis Childs.

Urban Agriculture
We are currently working to draft an urban agriculture policy paper for the city of Grand Rapids and develop an "urban agriculture tool box" for the transect zoning being developed for the City. For more information contact Andy Bowman or Cynthia Price.

For a look at what we are doing (a work in progress), download our urban agriculture zoning powerpoint (7.6 meg) or our urban agriculture zoning pdf (1.7 meg). Please find a narrative description of the powerpoint along the left sizebar. We would appreciate your feedback on this effort so far, we look forward to your thoughts.

Food Security
We have been working extensively through the Kent County Emergency Needs Task Force - Food Subcommittee to support greater food self-reliance withing the pantry system, soup kitchens and the Second Harvest Gleaners. We have also been working with Gleaners, Spectrum Health, MIFFS, Mixed Greens and others to develop a comprehensive gleaning program for the region. For more information contact Cynthia Price.

Downtown Market
We are working with a diverse set of organizations to study and promote the concept of a downtown Grand Rapids market that will serve as a hub for food systems education, food business entrepreneurship, food arts training, food brokering and distribution and year-round access to local food boutiques and restaurants. For more information please contact Cynthia Price or Tom Cary.

Southgate Community Garden
We have worked with the SouthEast Community Association (SECA), neighborhood residents and Kleiman's Mens Store (land owner) to establish a new community garden on Grand Rapids near downtown SE near the corner of Division and Wealthy. For more information contact Tom Cary or Sarah Smith.

SouthEast Community Farmers' Market
We have worked for the past two seasons to start and maintain a small market at the corner of Sheldon and Franklin in the Sheldon Complex each Thursday afternoon. The small market, a collaboration with the SouthEast Community Association (SECA) has successfully putfresh food from local farms in the hands of more than a thousand people over the last two years. For more information contact Tom Cary.

Food System Baseline Study
We are working to research the west Michigan food system and produce a baseline report on the status of food system infrastructure and activity. For more information please contact Tom Cary.