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 first tour in the series will be held on Saturday, July 30 from 2-4 p.m. at Franklinton Gardens, highlighting urban fruit and vegetable production and marketing. Franklinton Gardens is a nonprofit urban farm in the Franklinton community of Columbus. Franklinton Gardens maintains a mosaic of urban food production gardens that total just over 2.5 acres, including multiple market gardens, a perennial fruit tree nursery, a raspberry patch, a micro-greens grow room, a community garden, and a neighborhood produce stand. Franklinton Garden’s goal is to demonstrate that urban agriculture can be a cornerstone of a healthy urban food system by showcasing high output gardens and inspiring others to garden to strengthen household food security and the local food economy. This tour will focus on ten gardens that contribute the bulk of Franklinton Gardens’ annual fruit and vegetable production. Guests will see four high tunnels, a seedling start house, drip irrigation systems, and a produce rinse and refrigeration area.
Other tour dates in the Columbus Urban Farm Tour Series include:
- Aug. 6, from 2-4 p.m. at Clarfield Farm: Large-Scale Urban Farm Tour
- 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.