Green Drinks KC will host Vacant Lots: From Eyesore to Success with an evening of stories and strategies for transforming vacant urban lots into engaging, edible gardens.
There are currently more than 2,700 vacant lots in the Kansas City area that are available for sale, according to The Land Bank of Kansas City, MO.
The monthly Green Drinks KC meeting is usually held in a local bar, but the next event will be from 6:45 p.m. to 9 p.m., Thursday, July 26 at the Boys Grow Farm, 9501 E. 147th St., Kansas City, MO. This is an outdoor event with a $5 fee for drinks.
Participants will learn about vacant lot restoration initiatives in Kansas City and the efforts of the 10-acre Boys Grow Farm where urban youth learn entrepreneurial and farming skills.
Boys Grow is a two-year program for boys who live in the city. Young men are given vocational and personal skills training and are paid to help the farm grow produce that they will process into products like ketchup and jalapeno honey mustard. These products are then sold to several local restaurants and grocers, including The Rieger, The Local Pig, The Sundry, Pryde’s Kitchen, Edan Alley and Heirloom Bakery. Boys Grow is currently raising funds to build a passive-energy, culinary center.
The event is sponsored by Green Drinks KC, Boys Grow, Heartland Conservation Alliance, Urban Neighborhood Initiative, Mid-America Regional Council, Marlborough East Neighborhood and Land Bank of Kansas City, MO.
For more information, visit Green Drinks KC, Boys Grow or the Land Bank.