Micro-farming may come to city

Church of the Open Door proposes project for produce accessibility in gap areas

“Some of these gaps that are being exposed are just gaps in services, gaps in reaching needs that are in our community that are further exposed by the health crisis.”

— Alex Marks, executive director of Church of the Open Door

The possibility of bringing an urban micro-farming project to Vermilion is a subject of discussion between the Vermilion Parks and Recreation Board and Church of the Open Door for the next month.

Alex Marks, executive director of the church, said during a May 19 Parks and Recreation meeting, his church was interested in working with the city to bring a project they have worked on in Lorain and Elyria to increase produce accessibility.

Due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, there are needs in communities, particularly food and fresh produce, that are not being met for those under or unemployed, Marks said.

“Some of these gaps that are being exposed are just gaps in services, gaps in reaching needs that are in our community that are further exposed by the health crisis,” he said.

For Elyria and Lorain, vacant lots were identified, Marks said.

The church helped secure grants, as well as fund half of the project, Marks said.

“It’s something that Open Door has some financial capacity to do,” he said.

For the urban lots, Marks said the church looks for about 3,000 square feet of growing area under a plastic greenhouse cover, with produce growing in low tunnels under the cover.

He said six months of growing also can help employ two part-time employees for that time.

Cost and materials range from $5,000 to $6,000 with labor at about $9,000 for six months.

Marks spoke to the parks board during the meeting to see what park space may be available for a microfarming greenhouse.

Board member Bill Warden said he worries about security for the garden in parks like Showse and Sherod.

The board agreed to further discuss the possibility of the project with Marks.