Fairfax Learning Farm

This is Keith, the gracious high school student who led me on a tour yesterday of the Fairfax Learning Farm on E. 79th Street. The farm is resplendent in flowers, herbs and an abundance of ripe vegetables, which are sold every Wednesday afternoon at the farm market stand. It's part of the Cleveland Botanical Society's Green Corps program, which revitalizes vacant city land and provides valuable work and educational opportunities for students.

 

 

 Keith said they call this crop "Alien Eggplant," due to its otherworldly appearance.

The Fairfax, like the other Green Corps urban farms, is a natural oasis in a busy urban neighborhood.

The kids who work at the farm add their own personal touches: their names, painted posters, a pit barbecue and handmade furniture. Below, Keith shows off the shelving unit the students built to house their plant "starts."

 

Keith, who plans to become a music producer, says he's learned a lot from working on the urban farm, especially the value of "working hard." Many thanks to Keith for the tour!