Turning Vacant Lots into Edible Gardens

Looking back over the past six months, one of the inspirational people I met was William Gardener from Edgeton Community Garden in Detroit, Michigan. In 2008, William started gardening in his backyard. He now has a total of 1.4 acres. He grows a variety of fruits, herbs and vegetables; keeps bees; and, raises egg laying chickens, meat producing chickens, ducks and plans on expanding.

“I’m trying to show that it is hip, it is cool to do this and you don’t have to change your lifestyle too much, but work a lot harder. I definitely know my kids are going to benefit from this experience and the neighborhood kids that see this going on. I know they are going to benefit. Because, I have benefitted so much from just doing it. I’m loving it.

People will get more interested over the years. Its not going to happen over night and I knew that, but that’s what a lot of people look for – that instant gratification. Next year, there’s going to be a thousand people out here. Well, no it’s not like that because people rather go to Randazzles and go to these other shops and not garden. Why get all dirty when you can go to the store and get it all fresh and looking clean? But, tasteless. It’s a process we have to go through and I have to show them that it takes hard work and the benefits of it. You save money and gas. Relationships. People talk and discuss. The people in the neighborhood come and you just talk. Just having that vibe together. You need that. A lot of people respect the garden. I don’t have vandalism in here. They walk down the rows and I see the respect. If we can do this more, it will make a change.”