Urban farmers look to bring fresh food to Detroit neighborhoods

By LUKE LASTER

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    DETROIT, Michigan (WWJ) — Urban farmers are partnering with Detroit-based start-up Veggie Express to bring fresh foods to neighborhoods throughout the city.

“There’s a cooperative of Detroit urban farmers who have been selected to be a part of this project,” says Travis Peters, the owner, and operator of Green Boots Veteran Community Marketplace at the corner of Davison and Southfield Road.

The goal of Veggie Express is to get more fresh food, like the fruits and vegetables found on Peters’ farm, into lower-income neighborhoods that may not have access to it otherwise.

“Detroit has urban farms located throughout. There’s food growing all over the city,” says Rich Fahle of Newlab Detroit. He says the initiative is a multi-partnered effort. Another organization, Pluck.eco, which is the owner of an electric “grocery store on wheels,” picks up produce from farms like Peters’ and takes it to places like Eastern Market and neighborhoods throughout Detroit.

“The idea is to keep the farmer on the farm and to get the produce to Eastern Market without folks having to walk or travel, so to speak,” Peters’ says.

He’s now in his fifth year on his farm and recalls his days in the U.S. Army while harvesting and planting his crops. He says his time of service wasn’t over when his 8 years wearing the uniform concluded.

“Being a military veteran of the Army, there’s a fire that’s ignited. When you come home, you’re almost looking for things to do to serve, so this fuels that fire or fills that need to want to serve the community and my fellow man,” Peters’ says.

You can catch the Veggie Express twice more this month at Clement Kern Gardens on Aug. 21 and Aug. 28 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

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