DETROIT – A Detroit organization used a popular southern food staple to improve access to healthy eating options.
Who would think talking policy around a plate of collard greens would be a thing? That’s what the organization’s mission was on the night of Thursday, Aug. 17.
They quickly moved the large event indoors when they saw rain in the forecast, where neighbors let their taste buds lead them.
“It just opened up a whole new world for me,” said Tammy Mambureh.
Their taste buds lead them to learn about growing opportunities around urban farming in Detroit.
“It starts with community events like this,” said Khary Frazier. “Opening the eyes. Opening the vision.”
Detroit is Different, a group of urban farmers and local chefs, are using the popular leafy southern food staple to highlight how urban farms are becoming more visible and beneficial, especially in neighborhood spaces that have been vacant or neglected.
Travis Peters runs Green Boots Veteran Community Horticulture Gardens and Marketplace, and he says his organic produce is in needed places.
We’re providing fresh, high-quality, organic produce in places that are needed,” said Peters. “So the urban farms around are like food oases.”
Many of the urban farmers were part of the Detroit Black Farmers Land Fund.
It’s a collective working to boost access and opportunities for farms in areas across the city.
Erin Johnson says working with policymakers on the local and state level is vital.
“I mean, that’s huge,” said Johnson. “Farming used to be the center of our ecosystems in our communities. So, now, we’ve kind of gotten into other ways, and there’s a whole other food system. But we know that the food system doesn’t always work well for us. As Black people, as Black Detroiters, it’s really important that we know where our food is coming from so that we could kind of take charge of our health.”
Chefs whipped up a variety of collard green dishes for folks to sample at the event.
Lavaughn Calhoun of Buddah Foods won the cookoff with a vegan variety.
He says sourcing from urban farmers in Detroit has been key to his success.
“We love going to them because we know everything is going to be clean, fresh, and these greens we got today were delicious,” said Calhoun.
