Volunteer pitches citywide "edible parks" plan to expand access to fresh fruit

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 responded with technical and operational suggestions. Chris Martin, urban planner at Battle Creek Unlimited, recommended connecting with the Lillian E. (Lillian Ann) Arboretum and with the Calhoun County Land Bank, and urged soil testing to check for contaminants. "...they do have an urban garden, and, he's very knowledgeable on trees," Martin said of the arboretum's director, and he noted MSU Extension can help with free soil sampling. Roger Bossie and other members emphasized soil type and site selection; Bossie advised choosing lots with suitable soil given that former house sites can have poor soil conditions.

Patty Hochmel, who identified herself with the City of Battle Creek Environmental Department at the Department of Public Works, asked about maintenance and pesticide use. Steele replied the effort would avoid pesticides and focus on beneficial plantings and pollinator habitat, and that volunteers would provide outreach and training on preserving and processing fruit for winter storage. Bob Gilbert suggested that planting on private, nonprofit-managed lots could allow the project to track harvest and distribution more reliably: "If you did this on private lands and your nonprofit managed it ... you would have a great record of how much what your harvest was and where it went," Gilbert said, arguing that harvest accounting could support future grant applications.

Members also suggested local partnerships Steele could pursue: the Arc (local shelter partner), St. Peter's Lutheran Church (permission to use church property behind I-94), Washington Heights United Methodist Church, Sprout/Uproot cooperative contacts, the Lillian Ann Arboretum, MSU Extension, the Calhoun County Land Bank and local food banks. Steele said he has approval to plant 10 apple trees in a church backyard and is targeting April 2026 for first plantings with a goal of planting at least 100 trees per year thereafter.

Committee staff said they will coordinate internally on next steps. Patty Hochmel said she would consult field services and risk management about maintenance agreements and city requirements. The committee offered volunteers and follow-up connections; several members said they would meet with Steele outside the committee to help develop site-selection, soil testing and water-access plans.

Steele's proposal drew no formal action at the Aug. 25 meeting; the committee did not vote on granting city park use or establishing formal agreements. Members repeatedly framed their remarks as technical advice and offers to connect Steele with potential partners and city offices.

Steele: "We're looking at cherries, pawpaws, apples, and pears thus far, dwarf stock variety."