Gordon, it makes me so happy to hear stories, like yours, of "urban gardening." Somehow I think we have an inborn need to connect with the earth. I love reading about people that take a lot in an inner city somewhere, get the locals involved, and turn it into a garden... very sad to me to think how many people have no idea where food comes from (or what actual "food" really is).
At any rate, I'm sure the photos you've seen have been from Detroit -- unbelievable what has happened there since the economy bit the dust, last person out turn off the lights kind of thing. I grew up in lower Michigan but have been here in the UP for many years (like 40 or so), and good or bad, the economy is always bad here, so it's kind of like you can't even tell the difference now. Except it seems like more and more people that we know are working 2 or 3 jobs to try to make ends meet... how do you keep that up?
I do have a greenhouse, but really just use it for growing seedlings which I first start indoors under lights, with minimum heating to keep things from freezing until those plants go to the garden. I also have 2 fairly small (unheated) hoop houses (7 x 15) that I'm experimenting with, it's really pretty amazing how much the growing season can be extended if you grow the right stuff and give it a little protection. Have you read any of Eliot Coleman's books, like "Four Season Harvest" ? He is pretty much my hero!
Had a salad tonight with alfalfa and radish sprouts that I grew on the kitchen counter -- something anyone, anywhere could do! We need more gardeners in the world!
