The Toledo Blade reports the number of community gardens in Lucas and Wood counties is increasing significantly – from 30 to 81 in the last eight years.

A number of the gardens were showcased on a recent public tour. The Blade reported some gardens even raise chickens and turkeys, and feature art to add vibrancy to the neighborhood.

The article goes on to add,”Raising thousands of pounds of food, these gardens are located at churches, schools, and in empty lots. Typically grown in improved soils without pesticides or chemicals, the vegetables feed the folks who raise them. Much of the bounty is donated to food banks.”

The story doesn’t explicitly state this, but a number of the gardens are located in low-income or central city areas, such as Ten Eyck Tower, a public housing complex.

I feel like we’ve had a lot of depressing Rust Belt news this week, so it is nice to have a positive story.

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