Join local gardening organizations and enthusiasts on the Metro Beet, a selfguided tour of urban farms and community gardens in the metro Toledo region. Tours will take place on

Tours will take place on Fridays from 5 to 8 p.m. and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the weekends of July 9 and 10, and August 13 and 14.

Locations on the tour will include community gardens and urban farms of all sizes in Toledo and the surrounding area.

The 2021 Metro Beet Urban Farm and Community Garden tour is sponsored by a coalition of organizations that support and promote gardening, farming and local foods. These include Toledo

These include Toledo GROWs, Ohio State University Extension, Central State University Extension, the 577 Foundation and Moe Urban Farm.

The tour promotes the production and consumption of locally grown food and urban growers in the community.

Many urban farms and community gardens will partner with local artists to display art as well. Each month’s tour will in

Each month’s tour will include gardens and farms in a variety of locations and sizes. Participants will be pro

Participants will be provided a map of locations open for viewing and tours each month and may choose to visit whichever locations interest them.

Each garden and farm is unique and could include hoop houses, pollinator gardens, chickens, honeybees, artwork, rain barrels and a variety of other features.

Some farms and gardens will welcome visitors to wander through on their own, and others will offer a guided tour of the site.

“I think many in the community have no idea how many urban farms and community gardens exist in our area,” said Liz Dickens, owner of Moe Urban Farm.

“These farms and gardens are providing nutrient dense food for our community, and they bring beauty to our neighborhoods. I hope that the participants on this tour are inspired to grow their own food and support other local growers,” she said. A map of participating

A map of participating urban farm and community gardens on the tour each month can be found at tinyurl.com/MetroBeet2021 and Facebook.