Edible Landscaping Project
In conjunction with the Durand City Beautification project, The Durand Chamber of Commerce, Durand Downtown Development Authority, and the City of Durands Beautification Committee.
Ever since we have proposed to the City of Durand to integrate fruits and vegetables into their current landscaping we have had nothing but solid support. This project could be one of the first examples of edible landscaping promoted and funded by the city. Over time, we hope to build a beautiful mixture of bee-friendly flowers and citizen-friendly food as a permanent part of Durands downtown area. We will track the progress, the ups and downs of launching this pilot program. We hope that it will help bring food security to the residents and additional foot traffic in our downtown area.
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The program is working hand in hand with the Durand Beautification Project and other local groups to ensure the success of the programs. These downtown initiatives will be completed in several phases. The phases are cleanup, design, planting, pruning and picking. Each of these days will be scheduled in advance and will be posted by the Durand Beautification project Facebook page along with the Durand Chamber of Commerce Facebook page.
Project Goals
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Increase community involvement in the development of Durand MI.
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Increase food security for residents and visitors.
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Increase foot traffic to the business district of the city of Durand. MI
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Give more residents a reason to walk more and drive less
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Give back to the community.
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Put kindness on display in the city of Durand MI.
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Connect different generations through community activity
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Promote healthy eating with increased access to fruits and vegetables.
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Inspire the farm to table concepts
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Encourage regional food access
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Offer Durands youth an additional no-cost activity.
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Make the city more sustainable for the long term.
learn more about these concepts with past episodes explaining the benefits of Editable Landscaping and Gardening
Listen to more: Here
Social Kindness Projects
Municipal Consulting available
Day 1: Durand City Clean Up [Phase 1] Date: April 10th, 2021
Photos by: Fooltography
Where is Durand Michigan?
The Media
Research
a partnership between the Pueblo Food Project and the local CSU Extension Office’s Master Gardener program, three Downtown landmarks now host edible landscapes. Published July 1, 2021
Robinson C, Cloutier S, Eakin H. Examining the Business Case and Models for Sustainable Multifunctional Edible Landscaping Enterprises in the Phoenix Metro Area. Sustainability. 2017; 9(12):2307. https://doi.org/10.3390/su9122307
The Importance of Edible Landscape in the Cities
Çelik, F. (2017). The importance of edible landscape in the cities. Turkish Journal of Agriculture-Food Science and Technology, 5(2), 118-124.
Hansen, K. (2020). Building transformative capacity through the use and production of edible landscapes: A case-study of urban agriculture projects in the context of sustainability transformations (Master's thesis).
REUSING POTENTIALLY CONTAMINATED LANDSCAPES:
Growing Gardens in Urban Soils
This fact sheet provides communities and individuals with general
urban gardening information about:
• Common contaminants that can be found in urban soil.
• Ways to identify contaminants and reduce exposure.
• Improving soils and growing plants in mildly contaminated soil.
• Additional resources and technical assistance.
THE DURAND BEAUTIFICATION COMMITTEE hosted a second cleanup on Saturday, April 24. Volunteers again worked at cleaning up garden beds and sprucing up the downtown area.
Tuso, P. J., Ismail, M. H., Ha, B. P., & Bartolotto, C. (2013). Nutritional update for physicians: plant-based diets. The Permanente journal, 17(2), 61–66. https://doi.org/10.7812/TPP/12-085
To Donate to the Edible Landscape Project please contact
Address: 109 N Saginaw St, Durand, MI 48429
Phone: (989) 288-3715
Email: office@durandchamber.com
Day 2: Durand City Clean Up [Phase 1] Date: April 24th, 2021
Photos by: Fooltography
May 4th, 2021 - The Durand Edible Landscape Project processes have received approval from the Shiawassee County Health Department and the Produce and Dairy Safety Department. Although we have been approved to move forward, we have decided to invite the Shiawassee County produce health inspectors to offer safety recommendations to improve the food safety of the program. We have committed to at minimum 3 inspections of the program in 2021.
Day 3: Durand City Clean Up [Phase 1] Date: May 8th, 2021
Photos by: Fooltography
Day 4: Durand City Edible Landscape Planting [Phase 2] Date: May 22nd, and 23rd 2021
May 22nd and 23rd, 2021 - Volunteers spent two days working in first the rain and then searing heat weeding planting areas, help mix soil in with the nutrient bare dirt, and also plant nearly 80 fruits and vegetable plants throughout the city along main street. These two days of planting represent 2/3 of the planting required for the program. There is no way this program gets completed without all of the amazing volunteers who are working tirelessly for the community's well-being. Thank you to each and every one of you!
