This Farm designed by Crop And Soil Scientist Ryan Rowinski was the star Article and youtube videos of this impressive organic, urban garden of the Michigan State Fair is below.

Community Garden at The Michigan State fair by Michigan State University Graduate Ryan Rowinski....

Urban Farming at the Michigan State Fair..The daily Botanical

We did our yearly caravan to the Michigan State Fair over the weekend. Myself, my husband, the four kids, my mother-in-law, and my brother-in-law go every year together, and Sunday could not have been a more perfect day. It was in the mid 60s, partly sunny, and just generally beautiful outside.

While my favorite things have traditionally been the livestock and the agricultural exhibits, this year I was enthralled by the Great Lakes Gardens, an example of urban farming installed right on the Michigan State Fairgrounds. It was the creation of Ryan Rowinski, who is a graduate of the Michigan State soil science program, and donated his time, experience, and obvious green thumb to the Fair this year.

I had read about the garden in the Detroit News, so I was interested in seeing it, but I have to admit that the husband and I werenÂt hoping for much. We already HAVE an urban garden, how different could this one be?

Well.

Great Lakes Gardens Urban Farm

I could have spent the entire day in the Great Lakes Gardens. The plants looked fabulous, I loved the way Rowinski laid the garden out, mixing large borders of corn with small, narrow beds for squashes, and a circular bed for pole beans. What I loved about the garden was that it was obviously bountiful, it was beautiful, and it wasnÂt pretending to be anything else. This was a working urban farm, and it didnÂt need any "prettying up" or ornamentation. In fact, as of last week, the plot, which was installed eight weeks ago, has yielded over 300 pounds of produce, with another three to four hundred pounds expected in the next couple weeks.

A quick survey of the farm showed that it was growing just about everything: corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, peppers, eggplant, wheat, lettuces, brussels sprouts, sunflowers, and herbs all had a home there. I did notice that none of the corn had been demolished by squirrels, though Rowinski told the "Grosse Pointe News" that bunnies have been a bit of a problem.

Ideas IÂm Going to Copy

There are three things Rowinski did that IÂm totally ripping off next year. The first was this awesome cucumber tunnel trellis:

Emily and Sarah under the cucumber arch.

The second is the way Rowinski supported some of his pole beans. He calls this type of staking "Detroit-style" (you would find rebar in many of the vacant lots in the city  may as well use it!)

Love these bean supports.

The third thing IÂm going to copy is RowinskiÂs use of narrow beds. This is something that would definitely benefit those of us with small, irregular, or partly shady lots who are always saying "just one more bed!" I have a few areas I am already planning to use narrow beds in. I donÂt have a photo of it, but there were several long, twelve to eighteen inch wide, beds along the edges of the garden. A simple idea, but a very useful one.

I was totally inspired by this urban farm, and more determined to increase our growing space next year. As a side note, due to funding issues, this was the last year for the Michigan State Fair. At 161 years old, our Fair was the oldest in the United States. We signed petitions at the Fair to save it, and I really hoped something would be worked out. But, Michigan Public Radio reported this morning that the last minute reprieve so many of us had hoped for hasnÂt happened. ItÂs over. I hate to think that my youngest kids will never have the experience of feeding goats and alpacas, seeing giant pumpkins, or watching the pig races at the State Fair. This is a huge loss to so many families, and to our entire state.

Organic guy says:

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September 9, 2009 at 7:10 pm

I agree. I also attended the state fair this year and was completely amazed. I hope it is not our last fair. I consider myself a knowledgeable grower but could not believe the amount of knowledge I was able to obtain from the creator Ryan Rowinski, he is a graduate of Michigan State University crop and soil science program. He had such simplistic but innovative techniques. This young man broke down details of our food sources and soil components that made my mind spin. I found some youtube videos of the garden this morning. I hope the group will enjoy. Its amazing what could be done in the city of Detroit, if not for all the bureaucracy. All of the cityÂs vacant and blighted land could be so productive. WellÂgood day to all! I have some weeds to pick. youtube video links below.

part 1:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IH3TVOS7QT4

part 2:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtix0E_jGcw

part 3:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIS19BFKDo8