Micro-Urban Gardens
In September 2019, Dew Point Farm purchased a small residential lot from the Land Bank Authority with the assistance of CDBG funding for a micro urban garden. Their aspiration was to grow food, people and community and grow they did.
Two years later, the City of Columbus demolished the dilapidated property next to the farm and in partnership with the Land Bank Authority, Dew Point Farm was able to purchase that lot and double the size of the farm.
But doubling the acreage isn’t saying much on these narrow-shotgun style lots. The farm went from 60 feet wide to 120 feet wide and walking paths and storage spaces were created. However, the thoughtful design, planning and care of the farmable space has produced an abundance only nature can provide. The farm is used to grow staple market-garden crops: tomatoes, peppers, turnips, collards, carrots, beets, eggplant, green beans, snow peas, sweet potatoes, and the like. Also, they dabble with dried beans, fennel, herbs for tea, and other crops as the mood strikes and space permits.
Aside from just liking farming, the farmers at Dew Point built it for two reasons: First, the city (the county! the country!) needs more growers; even farmers will tell you that.
Second, we are trying to combat food insecurity in various pockets of Columbus. Among the people we hope will buy our produce are folks who may not have consistent access to refrigerators. For them to consider buying fresh food, that food must be shelf-stable. We want much of our produce to be able to sit at room temperature for a few days, until they have a chance to cook it.
Produce is available for purchase by everyone at The Food Mill, but also allows SNAP or food-stamp customers to double their buying power. But full-price customers are not taking food away from others who need it. There’s plenty to go around.
Dew Point Farm Co-Founder Bradley Barnes says, “We are very thankful to the Land Bank Authority for the opportunity to use the land this way. Growing produce on a small urban farm isn't lucrative, and I'm not sure it would have been possible at all without the low cost of purchase thanks to the CDBG grant through the Land Bank Authority. But it's a labor of love for us, as we see our primary mission as getting nutritious, fresh, local food to those who might not otherwise be able to afford it. We've grown about 1,000 lbs of vegetables each year, and once the fruit trees start bearing, those numbers will undoubtedly climb.”
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