Join us this summer for the Columbus Urban Farm Tour Series! A joint project sponsored by OSU Extension, Franklin County and the Columbus Urban Farmers Network, the Columbus Urban Farm Tour Series is designed to provide an inside look at several local urban farms, demonstrating the many benefits of urban farming in central Ohio. The tour series is free and open to the public, and there is no advanced registration required to participate. Farm tours will be held rain or shine, and participants should dress accordingly.
The next tour in the series will be held on Aug. 6 from 2-4 p.m. at Clarfield Farm, highlighting large-scale urban farming. Urban Farms of Central Ohio, an initiative of the Mid-Ohio Foodbank, transforms vacant and underutilized sites in underserved neighborhoods into productive, sustainable urban farms that provide low-income, food insecure residents increased access to fresh, local produce. Tour Clarfield Farm, the initiative’s first project, which has been fully transformed into a thriving year-round farm with three high tunnel structures. The farm operates on three acres of land at a vacant elementary school property in the Marion-Franklin neighborhood, selling a portion of its crops directly to local restaurants and at a farmers’ market. In turn, this supports their ability to feed the neighborhood through a pay-what-you-can farm stand.
Other tour dates in the Columbus Urban Farm Tour Series include:
- Aug. 7, from 1-2 p.m. at Italian Village Urban Farm: Multi-Location, Mission-Driven Urban Farm Tour
- Aug. 13, from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. at Scotts Community Garden Campus at Franklin Park Conservatory: Demonstration Food Garden Tour
- Aug. 14, from 2-4 p.m. at Weurfulville Suburban Farmstead: Suburban Homestead Tour
Click here for more information about the Columbus Urban Farm Tour Series or contact Mike Hogan at 614.866.6900 or hogan.1@osu.edu.
The Columbus Urban Farmers Network is an alliance of urban farms and food producers in Columbus. The goal of the network is to strengthen and expand the local food system by producing food in urban areas of Columbus.