Atonement Pictures from Day 4

Today was our day of service, or Proclaim Justice Day.  It was hot, sunny and muggy, but we were blessed with frequent cooling breezes, shade, plenty of water and the air conditioned buses for a break.  We went to  Oakland Street Farm and Market with a group from Arkansas (who felt it was a cool, comfortable day).  Here's some of our pictures:

A sea of orange shirts, waiting to leave for our day of service 

Our work site was the Oakland Street Farm and Market.  You can google it, or find it on facebook.  It's an urban farm, a few blocks from Motown.  This was a vibrant neighborhood, with several of the Motown stars as residents.  The street is now mostly abandoned, with 8-10 houses left, most of them empty.

The "before" picture.  Task: clear the grass to the curb.  Yes, there is a curb here, and a sidewalk under all this grass.

We hauled mulch and compost

Adding new rows of compost for planting

Progress on the curb

Digging compost.  The Saturday farm market is in the background under the white tents.

Shirtless David helping to carry and dump the compost

Our official work site sign, with fields in the background

The farm market, providing access to fresh produce to neighbors.  Two tents are produce from the Oakland Street Farm, one is from another urban farm a few blocks away, and a third stall is from the Eastern Market (similar to our Public Market) for additional produce not produced at the Oakland Street Farm.

Making rain barrels for residents.  Paying water bills is another burden residents in poverty face.  Rain barrels can reduce water bills by using rainwater for watering grass, gardens, washing cars, as well as reducing the stormwater burden on the Detroit sewers. 

The "after" picture of our curbing project, going much further than originally anticipated.  You can see by the marks on the pavement where the grass was originally extended to.  We didn't finish the sidewalk. 

Gardens with new mulch!

Newly composted rows ready for planting

The owners of the farm, thanking us at the end of the day.  Not only is the farm reclaiming the block (only 2 houses are occupied on the block), but it also provides jobs and training to run the farm.

At Ford Field, the kids enjoying the band Skillet.

Skillet

We have a church service tomorrow morning, then it's time to board the bus for the journey home.  Keep Oakland Street Farm and their workers in your prayers.  They are doing an amazing service for the people of their neighborhood.  Goodnight!