I’ve been exposed to many different parts of Detroit over the past three weeks, and have been lucky enough to talk with a variety of community members in Brightmoor through my internship. One of the most interesting lessons occurred just today, as I toured the Brightmoor Farmway (an area of the neighborhood with an abundance of community gardens and independent farmers) with my site mentor, the other intern, and a friend of my mentor who spent a lot of time in Detroit. As we walked around different sites, I learned about the divide between those who support urban agriculture and those who don’t. Naively, I had assumed that urban farming was a widely popular endeavor–naturally, this is not the case.
In Brightmoor specifically, there are many long-time residents who do not want to see their neighborhood revert from city to farmland, and who dislike living next to chickens and bees. Through our discussions with Brightmoor residents, both farmers and non-farmers, I began to understand how complex and nuanced the issue is. Questions of urban agriculture intertwine with questions of race, socioeconomic status, and gentrification, and it can be difficult to find a solution which appeals to everyone. From the other intern and my mentor’s friend, I also got first-hand accounts of the effects of gentrification. There are no easy answers to these problems, but it seems that the first step is understanding and sharing of knowledge.
On that note, I have also learned that Detroit is far more interconnected and community-oriented than I expected. Coming from a very small town (just over 2 square miles), I assumed that in a large city, it would be difficult for people to find community and work together to solve common problems. This could not have been further from the truth, as my site mentors are constantly meeting with neighbors and community members. It’s very cool to see community organizing on such a large level, and interesting to see how people work out compromises when there are so many different constituents involved.
Hi Claire, what you’ve written about the divide between those who support urban agriculture and those who may not support it really resonates with what I’ve also been learning! My project in Brightmoor aims to set up independent farmsteads, and I’m definitely trying to consider these issues in my work. (And I expect to really grapple with a lot of the issues you just mentioned as I partake in community meetings and solicit neighborhood feedback in the coming few weeks).
Hi Claire! You’re was super interesting. As someone whose project also deals with urban farming, this issue has vast perspectives and considerations especially involving gentrification. That is why it is so important for the community to be at the forefront of research, as they are the experts.
Claire, I loved your post! I haven’t been around the urban farming debate much, so it’s helpful and interesting to hear about your experiences at your site and all that you’re learning there. I also appreciate the part you shared contrasting Detroit and your hometown and being able to see community structures on all types of scales.