We are building another US Water House in Detroit at Beaverland Farms! This farm serves its community in many ways, including food access, agricultural education, maple syrup collection, a tool-sharing program, a resource center, and more! We will provide a rainwater catchment and filtration system that runs off solar energy for the farm and resource center. This will create more food production at lower costs for the community in a more accessible way to hundreds of people each year!
At Beaverland, the farm serves its community in multiple ways. They, in part, host a community center that community members use for growing food, free of charge. The farm also grows fresh, nutritious food for an underserved community where there is a lack of fresh food available. The water supply for the community center and farm currently comes from city water in the area, costing the farm significant amounts each year, which takes away from their ability to grow more food for their community
This project will solve both problems and contribute to sustainability in the future. Through rain catchment, we will provide a free water source for the farm and resource center and not depend on the city. Through filtration, we will provide on-site washing availability so vegetables can get into the hands of those in need immediately. Lastly, through solar energy, we will provide the ability for this farm to grow more food without any costs or time taken away from the staff and volunteers.
The long-term impact of this project is multifaceted. In the immediate future, more food will be able to be grown and distributed to those in need due to reduced costs and time constraints. This project will also give community members access to water at the resource center for their community garden plots and produce processing. This will serve hundreds of individuals yearly with food access, education, and tools in the long term.
