Urban agriculture isn’t pie in the sky here in Cleveland; it’s a business for folks like Meagan Kresge, whose Gather ‘round Farm in Ohio City is growing herbs and veggies in beds built right over an asphalt lot. At this Saturday’s urban farm tour, meet urban farmers like Kresge, and learn about innovative techniques like asphalt farming, lasagna mulching, beekeeping, Shitake mushroom growing and Spin farming. The latter two are practiced by J and M Hammer Apiaries in Strongsville and Urban Growth, a permaculture farm also in Ohio City.

The self-guided tours from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. include nine urban farms—four on the west side and five on the east side, including The Green It Up Project in Fairfax and Vel’s Purple Oasis. See how urban agriculture is turning a problem of vacant land in Cleveland into an asset for sustained growth (hear how they're making a living at it). You might even get to try some tasty samples of food grown in the city. See the map of the tour here.

Local farm tours continue with Ohio Ecological Food & Farm Association’s annual tours of small family farms around Ohio. This Saturday, June 27 see dairy cows grazing at Alan & Sharon Kozak Farm in Millersburg (Holmes County) Ohio. And on Monday, June 29 visit Tarsitano Winery, an organic vineyard in Ashtabula County. Go here for a complete schedule.