Gardening on the South Side
Rescue Mission of Mahoning Valley - Regenerative Urban Agriculture Program
Executive Summary (January 2011)
Purpose: implementation, and growth of regenerative agriculture.
Goals:
1) Provide jobs growing healthful foods for low and no income people
2) Generate income through sale of locally produced fruits and vegetables to local outlets
3) Reduce operating costs of businesses and non-profits through effective and efficient waste stream management
4) Reduce the burden on healthcare industry by improving the dietary profile of the low income population with an affordable array of fruits and vege
tables
How:
1) Leverage lessons learned from expert resource in garden layout, crop selection, and maintenance. [see attached Garden Layout model from Ohio State University2) Educate individuals and organizations in the production of healthful foods
3) Educate relevant businesses and non-profits in a waste stream management process that will fuel the regenerative agriculture operation
4) Employ and demonstrate proven, simple, effective composting methods and transform everyday food and paper waste into rich, fertile soil for use in urban vegetable gardens
Where:
1) Begin on South Side Campus lower plot
2) Expand into 6th Ward Neighborhoods
3) Continued growth by collaboration with Valley wide regenerative agriculture projects such as Goodness Grows, Grow Youngstown, Jubilee Gardens, and others
