SEED Wayne
SEED Wayne is dedicated to building sustainable food systems on the campus of Wayne State University and in Detroit area communities. Our program works in partnership with community-based organizations to promote access to healthy foods, urban agriculture, farm-to-institution, healthy eating, and food planning and policy development.
SEED Wayne integrates core university functions in teaching, research, engagement and operations. Student leadership is central to the program's success. SEED Wayne projects are located on campus and in the community.
Previous projects
On campus
Warrior Demonstration Garden: Established 2008. Located between Warrior Grille and David Adamany Undergraduate Library. Students grow herbs and vegetables for their own use or distribution to area food assistance sites. Starting 2013, Warrior Garden is managed by SLUGS, Student Leaders of Urban Gardening and Sustainability.
St. Andrews Allotment Garden: Established 2009. Located behind St. Andrew's Church, between the church and the Lodge Service Drive. Groups of students and staff lease plots seasonally, to grow herbs, vegetables and flowers to use as they see fit.
Parking Structure 5 Experimental Garden: Three self-contained beds on top of Parking Structure 5 will help implement experiments to answer research questions related to atmospheric and soil-borne pollution of gardens by lead and other heavy metals. The garden will also allow us to test which plants, if any, are able to tolerate the extreme heat of the summer, which can be magnified manifold by the concrete structure.
Wayne State Farmers Market: Established in 2008, the market season runs from the first Wednesday of June through the last week of October. The market offers a range of farm-fresh and prepared foods from the city and the region. It also offers chef's demos.
Healthy Eats Project (HEP): Held January through May 2013, the HEP team offered a four-session series of nutrition workshops and food demos at each of four midtown senior centers. June through September, workshops and demos with food sourced from the WSU Farmers Market were offered at the market. Goals of the project are to increase the number of fruits and veggies consumed by participants and to increase the sales of fresh fruits and vegetables at the WSU Farmers Market.
In the community
Detroit FRESH: Established 2009. Staff work with corner stores in Detroit's neighborhoods to help them carry (or carry more) fresh fruits and vegetables in Detroit's corner stores.
Healthy Food Fairs: Started in 2010 as part of Detroit FRESH, SEED Wayne offers Healthy Food Fairs in other neighborhoods as well.
Passive solar greenhouse at Capuchin Soup Kitchen: A nearly 4,000 sq. ft., passive solar green house operated by SEED Wayne partner, Earthworks Urban Farm. Located at St. Paul and Meldrum (across from the soup kitchen) on Detroit's eastside, the green house will demonstrate season extension for urban agriculture and engage neighborhood youth and adults in agricultural entrepreneurship training.
Photo archive
