Farms in Detroit is an intriguing solution to vacant land problems

Can you imagine going to Detroit and where you used to see burned out buildings and vacant land parcels you now see thriving farmland, recreational centers, and wind turbines generating the farm's energy needs. If John Hantz's vision comes to fruition that will be the case. If the logistics and red tape can be handled this could be a tremendous boon for Detroit. We might witness the rebirth of the greatest industrial city into a diversified and beautiful high-tech innovative hub. The renaissance of Detroit could spread across our wonderful state.

Ahh, but perhaps I'm being a bit too Pollyanna-ish here.

Before this even has the chance to get off the ground it will probably be poo-pooed by "experts" and other pundits. The Detroit City Council will balk at merely giving away this "valuable" vacant land that is currently not generating tax revenue. For a trip down memory lane check out this exclusive audio I was able to obtain from one of the Detroit City Council's meetings a few years back - Exclusive Detroit City Council Audio.

I hope that this plan is able to succeed in some form or another. It's going to take visionaries such as John Hantz and others that see a unique solution to a constant problem and don't just talk about fixing it - they go out and do it.

Read the story about Farms in Detroit.

Excited about traveling in Michigan this summer!

I can't help it. I love the state I live in. I'm already lining up the trips we'll be taking this summer and can't wait. We'll spend a week in the U.P. Camp here and there. Take a side trip up to Sleeping Bear Dunes and then grab some snacks in Glen Arbor at Cherry Republic after getting a coffee at Leelanau Coffee on our way out to Point Betsie Lighthouse. We'll stop for a quick bite at Scalawags Whitefish in Mackinaw City before crossing the Mackinac Bridge. Before heading towards Escanaba, we might take a slight detour east on into St. Ignace and snag a great cup of coffee at Java Joe's Cafe on the east side of town. Depending on the weather and the kiddos moods we might head north a bit at some point and take in Tahquamenon Falls and go through the Seney National Wildlife Refuge.

Oh, there's tons of stuff to do in Michigan and that's just a few of the plans that we have. Watch this video and get excited about taking a Michigan vacation this year. Then, be sure to vote in this week's poll about favorite places to visit here in Michigan. If yours isn't on the list or you want to be more specific, please feel free to add your thoughts in the comments.

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Gardening question for this week's poll

We've been getting our seeds started recently and that got me wondering what other people plant in their gardens. We plant tomatoes, pole beans (higher yield for space used), onions, potatoes, peppers, cucumbers, lettuce, and zucchini. We also have a number of herbs that we use for cooking like chives, thyme, rosemary, and a bunch of others that have slipped my mind. That brings us to this week's poll question. Vote in the poll and feel free to add in the comments the specific plants you grow and even how big (or small) your garden is. I have a feeling there will be a lot more gardeners this year due to folks wanting to save money.

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