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Volunteer pitches citywide "edible parks" plan to expand access to fresh fruit
Summary
A Battle Creek resident proposed planting dwarf fruit trees in parks and vacant lots to increase fresh fruit access; committee members suggested partners, cautioned on soil testing and maintenance, and discussed next steps including city permissions and a 2026 planting timeline.
Austin Steele, a Battle Creek resident, told the Sustainable Battle Creek Committee on Aug. 25 that he is organizing an "urban fruit farm" to plant fruit trees in public spaces and on private lots to increase access to fresh fruit for children and underprivileged residents. "People being able to just pick fruit from public parks and stuff could dramatically help that," Steele said.
Steele said the plan aims to plant about 100 dwarf fruit trees and estimated it would take "10 to 20 volunteers, roughly 1 to 300 hours throughout April through September" to plant them. He listed cherries, pawpaws, apples and pears as planned species and said he hopes to plant 20 pawpaws in the first year. "We're in the process of opening a nonprofit," Steele said; he added some trees will be donated and some purchased, naming the Arbor Tree Project and local nurseries as sources.
Committee members…
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