Groundbreaking on urban agriculture farm in Cleveland's Old Brooklyn neighborhood

CLEVELAND - A vacant plot of land is well on its way to becoming something useful and productive in Cleveland's Old Brooklyn neighborhood.

The Cuyahoga Land Bank, Koinonia Homes, Inc., Cleveland City Council and the City of Cleveland came together to break ground on an urban farm at W 41st Street and Memphis Avenue on Wednesday, August 22, 2012.

In the next few months, 2.3 acres of land will be transformed into eight crop fields and a community garden with 24 plots for public use. It will also house a chicken coop and two greenhouses.

The farm will offer locally grown food, as well as jobs and opportunities for people with disabilities.

"We will have adults with developmental disabilities that will be in internship programs to develop skills to work on the land, to farm and take care of chickens for the purpose of egg production. At the end of the internship, we're hoping they will be able to find employment in the community," said Diane Beastrom, President and CEO of Koinonia.

“We are elated to have partners that have made it possible for us to fulfill this vision. This project allows us to both provide some of our clients with a meaningful work experience and supply our day programs and residences with nutritional produce,” said Beastrom.

"It's really an all-around good project for the community," said Cleveland Councilman Kevin Kelley.

The first crop yield is expected during the 2013 growing season.