Get your hands dirty, volunteer on a Detroit farm

Numerous urban farms and gardens in Detroit host volunteers to assist with tasks from weeding to harvesting to maintenance.

Since opening in 2009, Jerry Hebron, executive director of Oakland Avenue Urban Farm, said the farm has welcomed help from thousands of individual volunteers and larger groups.

There are other benefits to spending time in the garden or on the farm: reduced levels of stress hormones like cortisol and more social connection, exercise, and other physical and mental health benefits. As another advantage, chipping in at local farms can help residents become active participants in their local food system.

“It helps us specifically when we have projects that we need done in a short period of time but also it increases the awareness of both production and how that food is being grown and made available for folks in our community,” Hebron said.

Local food systems also mean more jobs: One study found that Detroit’s unemployment rate could be reduced by as much as 6% if one-fifth more of our food was grown locally. Eating local reduces greenhouse gas emissions from food traveling long distances to reach your plate, an average of 1,500 miles.

“We value everybody’s time,” Hebron added. “It doesn’t matter if they’re there for one hour or 10 hours.”

We’ve got a list of Detroit farms for you to volunteer at this summer.

Take sunscreen, a hat, water, and wear boots or closed toed shoes. It also doesn’t hurt to bring work gloves if you have them!

Editor’s note: This story has been updated since publication to reflect new dates and opportunities to get involved in 2025.