Growing a Cleveland Renaissance:Urban fanning co-op boosts struggling neighborhood with local foods, new jobs

摘要

Demand for local food lis strong in Ohio, an agricultural state that produces more than 2,000 kinds of crops and is home to numerous farmers markets, food hubs and produce stands. But in Cleveland, the local food movement means more than fresh, healthy produce. Local food production is at the heart of a grassroots effort to reclaim portions of the city suffering from urban decay and unemployment. Spearheading the effort in one struggling Cleveland neighborhood is a workers' cooperative that has builta large-scale greenhouse that is producing healthy food and creating jobs in an area that desperately needs both. Built on 11 acres, the Green City Growers greenhouse officially opened last Feb. 25. It has four acres under roof, with 3.25 acres of growing area.