A Man on FIRE - Super Raw Life Magazine

8
Urban Farm to Plate
by Corinne Anne Rice
I'm sure when you hear the word “Detroit” you think of
crime, poverty, bums, gangs and all things bad. If you've
seen that South Park episode, you probably think Detroit
is worse than Hell. Just like any other city, these things do
exist. What you don't hear about on the news are all of
the magical, positive things that are going on. Something
really powerful is happening here, a huge movement
toward the greater—a rebirth, if you will.
One of most fascinating things is the large amount of
urban farming that is taking place. One could drive for
five miles and pass by five or six farms. People all over the
city are transforming vacant lots, which were once beyond
an eyesore, to a beautiful landscape that is providing
food and creating jobs for people of the surrounding
community. “It is an intentional movement that is very
organic. Community members have turned to agriculture
to improve the city. It is an authentic movement, and
it feels good to be a part of it,” states Brandon Knight,
co-owner of Rhiza Food Company, an urban farm in
Highland Park (considered to be a very dangerous area
of Detroit).
Knight says the biggest advantage of urban farming is
the community outreach. “It's something you just can't
achieve in rural areas.” Kids from the neighborhood are
always interested in what's going on at Rhiza—they stop
by, hang out, and volunteer to help. It's keeping them out
of trouble and educating them on how to be sustainable.
Recent studies also suggest crime rates are lower in areas
with urban farms.
In addition, farming in the city makes it possible to
eat something at a restaurant that was harvested that
morning. I have a raw-vegan menu at a local coffee shop,
where I'm able to serve a salad with the most amazing
mixed, heirloom greens that traveled only two miles from
farm to plate, while the average is 1500-2500 miles.
I recently started purchasing locally, and I'm addicted,
for many reasons. Being an individual who is health
conscious, the number one reason is the amount of
nutrients found in food. Most produce travels seven to
fourteen days from farm to grocery store, and can lose 50-
90% of its nutrients by the time it hits your lips. If you're
reading this, you're probably into a healthy lifestyle and
this is definitely something you should consider before
piling your cart with fruits and veggies that are depleted
of their vitamins and minerals. Do your research and
check out local farmers markets. Get to know the people
growing food in your area. It's such a great feeling to be
able to walk on the land where your salad is growing.
If we can get out of the habit of purchasing from megacorporations,
local economies would thrive. For example,
because I buy produce from Rhiza Farm, they need to
employ staff to keep their farm up and running. Their
employees will turn around and spend money locally,
which in turn creates more community wealth, which
many cities are in desperate need of.
Take your healthy lifestyle to the next level, and try being
a locavore for a little while. This way of eating will nourish
your soul as much as your body.
Corinne Rice
graduated from Matthew Kenney Academy
(kenneycuisine.com), deemed one of the best raw culinary schools
in the world. After four years of travel, and returning to home-base
(Detroit), Corinne started Chartreuse (chartreusedetroit.com) in
February of 2012. Chartreuse is a traveling raw-vegan restaurant,
popping up all over the city of Detroit, at locations such as, art galleries
and urban farms, to name a few. Her dinners feature local artists and
live music. Every menu is different and is completely based around
what produce is available from urban farms within the Detroit
city limits. All menus are four courses, organic, mostly heirloom,
soy and gluten free. Currently Corinne is in the planning process
of taking Chartreuse on the road. With dinners already planned in
Harlem, NY and LA in early 2013. In January of 2013, Rice launched
her second business called Pop up Yoga (popupyoga313.com). Pop
up Yoga is a donation based traveling yoga “studio”, popping up at
various locations throughout the city of Detroit, including historical
buildings and art galleries.
Once a month, Chartreuse pops up at various locations throughout
Detroit, such as, art galleries, farms and museums. The dinners are
fully equipped with extraordinary imagination and the element of
surprise, all the while creating a memorable culinary and social
moment that exists briefly and disappears immediately, as if it were
a dream.
All ingredients are organic, raw, vegan, non-GMO, soy and gluten
free and about 80% sourced locally. Each menu is based around
what crops are available from urban farms in Detroit. Every month a
different Detroit based musical act is featured at the dinner.
Issue #7 Winter 2012 SuperRawLife.com