Just a few minutes away from our state Capitol building rests Lansing’s Urbandale neighborhood – an area trapped in the city’s 100-year floodplain.
The floodplain designation led to rising insurance costs, abandoned homes, and vacant lots overgrown with trees. Locals took it upon themselves to make the best of the situation by growing some fruits and veggies, and starting Urbandale Farm.
The farm was established in 2010 to help alleviate these issues by providing fresh produce and social stability, along with bringing greater value to the neighborhood.
I drove down to Lansing to talk with farm manager Caitlin Schneider and local residents about how Urbandale Farm has shaped the area’s future.
GUEST Caitlin Schneider is the manager of Urbandale Farm. Dan McCormick and Freddie Perkins are both residents of the Urbandale neighborhood.
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