Urban Extension Field Tours

Below you will find information regarding the Urban Extension Field Tours scheduled for Wednesday, May 13. Tour styles vary between biking, kayaking, walking, and bus tours, so be sure to note the type when you select your tour in registration. Space is limited for each.

All tour participants should meet in the Westin Lobby by 1 p.m. From there, groups will either board buses or start their tours on foot. Busses and walking tours will leave promptly at 1:15 p.m.

Please dress accordingly for weather and your specific workshop locations. Beverages and light snacks will be provided on the Urban Extension Tours. Please bring whatever you need for the afternoon.

A Living Classroom: MSU Extension’s Role in Community-Based Agriculture and Learning at Tollgate Farm

Tollgate Farm will serve as a unique “Urban Extension Field Tour” destination, offering participants an immersive look at a 160-acre working farm nestled in the heart of suburban development. A Tollgate staff member will accompany your group during the ride to the farm, sharing the site’s rich history and its vital role in MSU Extension’s community, food, and agriculture programming today. The two-hour visit includes a guided wagon ride through production fields, animal barns, teaching spaces, and public areas, providing a firsthand look at how the farm blends education, sustainability, and community engagement. Light walking on uneven ground is part of the experience, and participants are encouraged to wear comfortable footwear that may get dirty. Guests will also enjoy complimentary ice cream from the iconic Dairy Store as part of the visit.

Bus Travel Duration to Tour Location: 30-40 minutes

Belle Isle Discovery Tour

Please note: This tour's agenda is currently tentative. If changes are made, participants will be notified and allowed to select an alternate tour if preferred.

Experience Belle Isle through a focused, educational bus tour highlighting the island’s signature natural and cultural spaces. This guided bus trip includes two key stops: one at the Oudolf Garden Detroit, showcasing resilient and ecological plant design; the historic Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory; the restored Belle Isle Aquarium; and a second stop at the interactive Belle Isle Nature Center, where Detroit’s urban wildlife and natural habitats come to life.

Perfect for those seeking a concise, place‑based learning experience rooted in environmental stewardship and Detroit’s unique landscape.

Bus Tour with 2 stops

Belle Isle Kayak Adventure: Habitat, Aquatic Plants & River Connections

Glide across the sparkling waters of Lake Okonoka on Belle Isle and discover a unique fish habitat project that doubles as a recreational experience! This kayak adventure takes you through a deepened lake reconnected to the Detroit River where young fish thrive. As you paddle, learn about the native and invasive aquatic plants found on the island and how to report them to stop their spread. Enjoy an unforgettable mix of outdoor fun, stunning scenery, and hands-on environmental education— just minutes from Downtown Detroit! For comfort and safety, wear quick-dry clothing, a water-resistant jacket and closed-toe water shoes. Bring a reusable water bottle. Life jackets must be worn during the experience. This tour is weather dependent.

Bus Travel Duration to Tour Location: 15-20 minutes

Biking Beautiful Belle Isle – A Conference Adventure on Wheels

Perfect for networking and learning outdoors!

Join us for a unique, on-the-move tour that combines learning, networking, and the beauty of Detroit’s Belle Isle Park! This leisurely three-hour bike ride will take you across the island’s scenic 982 acres, nestled in the Detroit River with stunning views of international skylines, freighters, and abundant wildlife.

Belle Isle is rich in history and stories, and you’ll experience it firsthand with Mary Bohling, author of Beautiful Belle Isle: Detroit’s Unique Urban Park and an educator with Michigan State University Extension. This experience is deeply connected to MSU Extension’s mission of education and community engagement, showcasing how environmental restoration and sustainable recreation strengthen Michigan’s natural resources.

Along the way, you’ll meet partners at habitat restoration sites highlighting the region’s transformation from Rust Belt to Green Belt, the oldest public aquarium in North America, an urban nature center, and the southern trailhead of a 2,000-mile hiking and biking trail.

As a special bonus, each participant will receive a complimentary copy of Mary’s book, so you can return and explore even more on your own. Space is limited to 20 participants, so reserve your spot early for this unforgettable experience that blends education, recreation, and inspiration!

Bus Travel Duration to Tour Location: 15-20 minutes

Exploring Innovation: A Walking Tour of Detroit's Learning Hubs

Please note: This tour's agenda is currently tentative. If changes are made, participants will be notified and allowed to select an alternate tour if preferred.

Join us for a guided walking tour through downtown Detroit that highlights two of the city’s most innovative technology and learning spaces.

Participants will walk to the Apple Developer Academy, a vibrant hub where learners build skills in app development, design thinking, entrepreneurship, and project-based innovation. During the visit, you’ll hear about the Academy’s hands-on approach to preparing future developers and creators, see examples of learner projects, and gain insight into how the program supports real-world problem solving and career readiness.

At the Apple Store, participants will see how the space supports community learning through hands‑on creativity, coding, and design sessions. This stop also highlights Apple’s Community Education Initiative (CEI) — launched in 2019 to expand access to coding, creativity, and career opportunities in communities traditionally underrepresented in technology. CEI now works with over 150 partners across 600+ communities worldwide, offering resources, educator support, and tools that help broaden participation in technology. Representatives from the Community Education Initiative at Apple and MSU Extension may join the tour to share insights into how CEI’s community‑focused education efforts connect with local programming.

The tour concludes with a walk back to the Westin Book Cadillac. This experience offers an engaging look at the dynamic learning, creative work, and community‑focused innovation taking place within Apple's Detroit spaces.

Walking Level: Easy (1-1.5 miles)

Footsteps of Detroit's Riverfront: Food, Nature, and Place

Join us for a dynamic, three-mile Urban Extension Field Tour that brings the spirit of urban extension to life through some of Detroit’s most inspiring spaces. The experience begins with a drop-off at the iconic Eastern Market, where participants will get an up-close look at Keep Growing Detroit’s urban farm and explore the city’s vibrant local food ecosystem.

From there, we’ll travel along the art-filled Dequindre Cut, a celebrated greenway that seamlessly blends creativity, culture, and community. Our journey continues at the Outdoor Adventure Center, where participants can enjoy a quick refreshment, engage with hands-on exhibits, and learn about Michigan’s natural resources and environmental programming.

We’ll then pass through Milliken State Park, Detroit’s first state park, highlighting restored wetlands and riverfront greenspace, before strolling along the scenic Detroit Riverwalk, consistently ranked among the best riverwalks in the nation.

The walk concludes at the Westin, offering participants a meaningful and energizing experience that weaves together public health, agriculture, environmental stewardship, and place-based learning—Detroit style.

Bus Travel Duration to Tour Location: 10-15 minutes

Walking Level: Moderate (3-3.5 miles)

From Detroit’s Historic Eastern Market to Techtown – How Food Entrepreneurs Thrive and Are Supported in Detroit

Eastern Market – Detroit’s food hub, established in 1891 - is home to a vibrant food entrepreneur community, featuring a state-of-the-art incubator kitchen, six accelerator kitchens, and a new local produce processing center on the way. The surrounding district houses multiple restaurants, retail food and wine stores, and an extensive variety of food retail businesses.

TechTown Detroit was established just across Woodward Avenue in 2000 (109 years later!) as part of Wayne State University’s initiative to support entrepreneurs. TechTown provides access to a large, accessible co-working space, a small café for pop-ups, and business support.

MSU Extension’s local partnership with Eastern Market and TechTown provides support to a variety of food entrepreneurs, from farmers to food trucks to packaged goods purveyors. We connect to fill gaps in our areas of expertise, and to strengthen our food communities. We are grateful for one another!

This WOM will include a tour of Detroit’s historic Eastern Market, kitchen spaces, and retail locations. One of our MSU Product Center clients will meet us at the market to share his story of taking his famous restaurant pizza sauce from in-house to wholesale-ready! We will also visit TechTown to appreciate its co-working space, meet with the food and beverage experts on their staff, and learn more about how technology helps to build food businesses.

From 1891 to 2000 – food in Detroit is thriving!

Bus Travel Duration to Tour Location: 10-15 minutes

Perspectives on Urban Agriculture, Education, and Youth Development

Please note: This tour's agenda is currently tentative. If changes are made, participants will be notified and allowed to select an alternate tour if preferred.

Learn how MSU Extension’s community partnerships come to life across Detroit. The tour sets off at Oakland Avenue Urban Farm, a thriving North End landscape where agriculture, 4-H programming, neighborhood leadership, and food access initiatives intersect. Next, participants will head to Center Line Public Schools to explore the gardens, a hands-on environmental project enriched by MSU Extension’s expertise in youth programming and sustainability education. The experience continues at Focus: HOPE Extension office, where art and community storytelling offer insight into the organization’s long-standing role in education and empowerment—and where Extension contributes to ongoing efforts. The journey wraps up at Detroit Horse Power, an organization using equine‑assisted learning to help youth grow their confidence and leadership skills. Together, these stops provide a compelling look at how MSU Extension supports learning, creativity, and community resilience throughout Detroit.

Bus Travel Duration between Tour Locations: 15-25 minutes

Reimagining Cities with Local Food Cultivation, Collaboration and Art

This Urban Extension Field Tour features sites that highlight how Detroiters are using agriculture, food processing, and art to enhance communities. Stop 1: Farm City Detroit (FCD) is a beautiful, volunteer-led farm that revitalized vacant lots into flourishing gardens, emphasizing community, education, and healthy food access. Michigan State University Extension (MSUE) Master Gardeners partner with Detroit Blight Busters to manage FCD. Stop 2: The Detroit Partnership for Food, Learning, and Innovation (DPFLI) is MSU's urban agriculture center. This 3.3-acre farm managed by MSUE is a hub for research, education, and community engagement, and is a leader in urban fruit management with over 50 fruit and nut crops. Stop 3: The Brightmoor Artisans Collective (BAC) fosters an equitable, resilient, and sovereign local food system for the benefit and wellness of all Brightmoor residents. BAC integrates food provisioning, business incubation, and programs to educate and train residents to be more self-reliant and able to thrive. MSUE has partnered with BAC on food preservation, cooking, food safety and youth programs.