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Thursday, July 20, 2017

Thursday Video - Fleet Farming

Fleet Farming volunteers at one of their farmlettes
I'm on the fundraising committee for Bicycle Indiana. If you have any suggestions, please send them to me at ed@circlecitybicycles.com. I was doing some research when I ran across this group out of Orlando, Florida called Fleet Farming. They find homeowners who are willing to donate space (they call these farmlettes), which they use to grow salad greens. When the produce is ready to be harvested, it is picked and transported by bicycle to a couple local farmers' markets. The group has what they call "swarm rides" every couple of weeks. They ride to 3-5 farmlettes and do whatever work is necessary.

An owner of a local market came up with the idea in late 2013. By early 2014 the program was launched. It started with a borrowed bike trailer, 15 volunteers and 5 farmlettes comprising 2,500 square feet (about 1/16th of an acre). Not only have they grown in the Orlando area, but they have also added another local chapter on the other side of the country in Oakland, California. Their aim is to reduce the use of fossil fuels and agricultural chemicals. Their motto is:

Grow Food, Not Lawns!
Here is a video about the program:


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