The Atlantic talks to Detroit's wannabe large-scale farmer John Hantz

There's been a lot of talk about John Hantz and his farm endeavor. Some are calling it a "land grab"( though there is so much land in Detroit that if it were grabbed we might not even know it), while others are waiting to see what happens when this businessman can pump in millions of dollars to Detroit agriculture. The Atlantic grabs Hantz to talk about his project and Detroit.

Excerpt from the Atlantic:

Hantz realized not long ago that Detroit sprawl--much of it now blighted or abandoned--might be best dealt with through agriculture. He'd like to shrink the city by revitalizing population centers downtown and buying up massive tracts of land to raze and reshape as urban farm "pods." The resulting scarcity of land will create property value, he says, and the farms will provide local jobs (unemployment is more than 25%), fresh produce, and new tourist destinations. Hantz intends on using experimental, technology-intensive growing techniques, including hydro- and aeroponics, to create a replicable model of "vertical" cultivation. Apples, lettuce, and tomatoes are to be among the first crops.
 
With test plots being tilled this summer, Hantz Farms will operate as a for-profit venture, creating backlash from some residents and urban gardeners who worry that it's a glorified "land grab." But Hantz is prepared to lay tens of millions of dollars on the line to make the farms operational and hopes to see them in the black within five years. He spoke to The Atlantic about why shrinking the city is important and how a for-profit farm serves the public interest.

Read the entire article here.