Our idea is to make it easy for individuals and families to start their own small farms/gardens in their own neighborhood. To do this we will create a website which will allow people to:
- See what lots near their home are owned by the city
- Apply to lease the lot for free from the Indianapolis Office of Sustainability to start a garden/farm
- Get information on the soil testing data for these lots
- Sign up to get the soil tested in their yard and request gardening assistance
- Get information on how to become GAPS certified to be able to sell their produce
In addition to building the website we would like to provide a stipend for youth interns to be roving gardeners/scientists. These youth would test the available lots and upload the data to the website. We currently partner with IUPUI’s Earth Science Department, which currently does all of our soil testing.
They would also go out to people’s yards upon request to take soil samples for testing and help with labor intensive gardening tasks (help tilling the ground, building raised beds, etc.). This would be an invaluable resource for seniors and those with disabilities who want to garden.
Where are you at with the solution? Idea stage
Why might this be a valuable solution for Indy? This would create a great resource for people who want to grow their own food and those looking to start their own urban farm or garden. It could help create opportunity for those left out of the traditional economy, teach skills of entrepreneurship and provide opportunity for youth employment and STEM education.
What resources, advice or support would be helpful for you in moving forward? Funds to build the platform, funds for youth stipends, support from the office of sustainability to connect the lot leasing program to the website.
Lead contact: Paulette Fair
Email: [email protected]