A couple weeks ago, the Victory Garden Initiative held a meeting at the Urban Ecology Center for people interested in homesteading. There was an amazing turn-out from people both young and old and a cross section of the city. This movement is growing both in Milwaukee and across the United States as more people realize that our current large agricultural system is not sustainable. The nutrients in the soil are quickly being depleted so that the nutritional content of the vegtables and fruits you eat are not as high as when our parents or grandparents were eating them. Growing your own vegtables and fruits is now easier than ever because of the strong network of organizations dedicating to helping people do just that.
Also, Milwaukee may soon become the winner of a grant from Mayor Bloomberg of New York who issued a challenge to mayors throughout the United States to come up with an inivative program to address needs in their city. Mayor Barrett proposed turning empty lots and foreclosed homes into community based food system hubs. His proposal landed in the top 20 of 300 proposals and made its way to Mayor Bloomberg. The winner will receive a $5 million grant to move their initiative forward. Our Department of City Development is already looking at which properties would be best used for this purpose and Mayor Barrett says he'll move the project along with or without the funds.
Its an exciting time to live in Milwaukee if you are interested in growing your own food!
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