The Former Dumping Ground That Became a Flourishing Food Ecosystem
Cleveland’s Rid-All Green Partnership began small in 2011, and it now supports a community kitchen and farmer’s market with acres of farmland.
June 17, 2023 | Source: Grist | by Emily Nonko
This story was originally published by Next City and is reproduced here with permission.
On a dead-end street in Cleveland’s Kinsman neighborhood, on 18 acres of land that previously served as an illegal dumping ground, an entire food ecosystem has emerged and thrived under the leadership of local residents.
Rid-All Green Partnership started with a single hoop house erected in February of 2011; now acres of farmland support a community kitchen and farmer’s market. All food waste is turned into compost, which supports the farm and is sold across Cleveland. A training program and paid apprenticeships bring community members in, while an aquaponics and hydroponics system generates local jobs. Specialized programs emerged to serve veterans and youth.
“We’ve created a circular economy,” says Keymah Durden, a Rid-All co-founder who grew up in the neighborhood. “Piece by piece, we’ve built this business with things that complement each other.”