Posts from — April 2012

Workshop. Photo courtesy of Cultivos Urbanos.

Future plans include the establishment of a network of allotments and orchards throughout Santiago

Written by Nick MacWilliam
Revolver
10/19/2011

Excerpt:

Cultivos Urbanos was founded by a group of architecture students from La Universidad Católica following the 2008 food crisis which had serious effects across Latin America. It is an organisation set up to promote urban agriculture and develop citizens’ awareness of sustainable living whilst teaching them to cultivate their own crops, either at home or as part of community co-operatives. It is a back to basics approach that reaps rewards for those who seek a simpler, healthier and more self-sufficient lifestyle.

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Greater access to urban farms in these areas may help save food dollars and may reduce obesity

By Sasha Hulsey, Minnesota 2020
Twin Cities Daily Planet
April 29, 2012

Excerpt:

Many compromises were made during the city council’s discussion process, most of them designed to minimize disturbances to city residents. Two important compromises directly affect economic development for urban farms and farmers. First, although urban gardeners are allowed to sell their produce on-site with an appropriate license, they are only allowed to sell 15 days per year. The second compromise relates to hoop houses, which are temporary green houses typically made out of metal pipes and plastic sheeting. They are used in northern climates to prolong the growing season until as late as December, and greatly increase the amount of produce a farmer can grow.

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In Gowanus, a group from Feedback Farms works on planters to grow vegetables. Photo by Chester Higgins Jr.The New York Times.

Feedback Farms is an experiment in movable urban gardening.

By John Leland
New York Times
April 27, 2012

Excerpt:

THE city of New York owns thousands of slivers of unused land, and about a year ago, a group of Brooklyn gardeners had an idea: identify all the vacant lots in the borough, then help neighborhood residents take them over. They built an online map, then a mobile app, with information about the plots, including the names and phone numbers of the agencies that owned them. They called themselves 596 Acres, after the total area of unused public land in Brooklyn, according to city data.

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Banyan Street Manor opens after $11.5 million effort

KITV. COM
KHON2
April 26, 2012

Excerpt:

On the outside the largest “living walls” in the state. Reducing building temperatures by up to 10-degrees.

And the building built in 1976 is now the first affordable housing project to have a USDA certified organic rooftop farm.

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This plot of land, owned by renowned Haitian agronomist, environmentalist and pastor, Miradieu Estinvil, will be an agricultural college and demonstration site.

Group’s goal: improving economic and nutrition conditions of Haitian men and women

Director: Dienata T. Estinvil
Main office: Haiti Gardens/ First Fruit
Latremblay 12, Turbé Jonc
Croix des Bouquets, Haiti
Phone: (509) 3682-7472; 3452-7082

Excerpt:

One of the Purpose’s of the Haiti Gardens/First Fruit is Agriculture and food security by teaching Haitians to be self sufficient through farming and urban agriculture, learn them how to integrate these foods into their daily diet, create some of the income for the family and becomes an economic driver for the urban agricultural program and they will return to the rural areas with their families, thus reducing the strain and burden on the cities and be able to live in thriving communities. We truly believe this project has potential to effect generations in a very positive way.

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See the video clips here.

Episode 4: Urban Farming

This week’s Horizons show is about urban farming.

Adam Shaw travels to New York to find out how hydroponics and rooftop farming could be the first stage in wide-scale urban agriculture.

Saima Mohsin visits the Netherlands to investigate indoor farming and the latest advances in lighting technology for growing plants.

See the video clips here.

And on Facebook here.

Must see video here.(Mike)

The Society for Aquaponic Values and Education (SAVE)

By Agence France-Presse
The Raw Story
April 27, 2012

Each week Toole and Pozdeeva teach aquaponics to about 80 children at SAVE’s base at a community center in the south Bronx, one of the most socio-economically disadvantaged neighborhoods in the United States.

During a recent session, the couple got youngsters to help in everything from cleaning fish tanks to planting mint, cabbage, and other greenery.

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Louisville Goats: Episode 100 of The Perennial Plate

By Daniel Klein
The Perennial Plate

Jean-Marie herds goats within the Louisville city limits. He sells them to the growing immigrant and refugee population. Goat isn’t yet popular with all Southerns, but it reminds Jean-Marie of his home in Burundi.

Link here to The Perennial Plate.

See the Infographic here.

How Does Your Apartment Garden Grow?

By Bozzuto Team
Bozzuto Living
April 12, 2012

Excerpt:

We love living in DC – the history, the culture, the cherry blossoms (we could go on and on), but did you know it is also the center of a booming urban agriculture trend? We all know that nothing tastes better than veggies ripe off the vine, so why not grow your own right at home? In this day and age, you don’t need a farm or ranch to grow amazing crops, you can do it right on your apartment patio or balcony!

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Organic produce. Toronto Produced

By Sarah
Covet Garden
Apr 27, 2012

Excerpt:

In a nutshell, you, the land-haver, allow a Fresh City member to farm your land for one growing season. In return, you don’t have to worry about landscaping, you get free produce and you help revitalize the food production system and regenerate the environment. If you’re interested in micro-farming, you can sign up to let Fresh City farm your land on their website.

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By Jonathanbartlett.tv
Apr 21, 2012

Vegies, fruits, chickens, ducks and bees!!! Urban Agrarian, Chris Adams and Heritage Seed Specialist, Jeff Wright provide insights into the challenges, solutions and joy involved in year round urban farming…Just one of the many educational events put on by Slow Food Vancouver Island.

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Video by Cooking Up a Story.

Cooking Up A Story visits a Rare Wasabi Farm

By Cooking Up a Story
Apr 25, 2012

There are only 4 Wasabi farms in North America. The Wasabi plant is difficult to grow commercially, and because of its value, these farms tend to be hidden from public view. Join us as we visit a Wasabi farm in Oregon, whose only commercial crop are two varieties of Wasabi: Daruma and Mazuma.

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Photos by Amanda Silvana Coen for Inhabitat.

21 images by Amanda Silvana Coen – Hayseed’s Big City Farm Supply

By Amanda Coen,
Inhabitat
04/21/12

Excerpt:

When Inhabitat stopped for a visit, Meg Paska, aka the Brooklyn Homesteader, was tending to seedlings. What started as a love for homebrewing and gardening in Baltimore quickly evolved into a beekeeping enterprise after taking a course in 2004. For those who want to start their own beekeeping venture, a visit to Hayseed’s for supplies as well as a consultation with Paska is the perfect remedy. When asked about the clientele, Paska explained that most people that come to the store are interested in getting started with urban farming and don’t necessarily have much experience. More than anything, people seem excited to see something “off-Bedford.”

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Bed preparation and planting at CommonWealth Urban Farms.

CommonWealth Urban Farms

By Mia Cantu
Oklahoma Gazette
April 18th, 2012

Excerpt:

At the forefront of this realm of agriculture is Elia Woods, who enlisted the help of neighbors to form CommonWealth Urban Farms.

After years of teaching weaving at City Arts Center, Woods was ready to change gears. She took a market gardening course at Oklahoma State University-Oklahoma City and the idea of an urban farm stemmed from there.

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Where Hundreds Gain Health and Independence

118 vacant lots have been transformed from eyesores into highly cultivated productive areas

The Washington Times
June 18, 1905

Excerpt:

A regular city garden measures 150 by 50 feet, or is about an eighth of an acre. One of these gardens is allotted to each applicant, and is put down in his or her name. It may be that a whole family will plant the garden, or it may be that only one person will work in the patch. However that may be, the man, the woman, or child in whose name the garden is allotted is held responsible for it and for its good condition.

Superintendent Bartlett, who has charge of what may be termed the field work of the association, has small patience with the lazy, and the city farmers know this. If a garden is not kept up as it should be and weeds are allowed to accumulate, there comes a speedy punishment to the delinquent gardener – the worst, as many look at it, that could come – the garden is taken away and given to someone on the waiting list. Consequently those who are at all inclined to be lazy are kept on the move by this unspoken but constant threat which hangs over them.

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From Washington’s “A Vision for a Sustainable DC”, 2012. Link to Report here.

“Ensuring Longevity of Urban Agriculture”

By Tim Craig
Washington Post
Apr 24, 2012

Excerpt:

Sean C. Cahill, a vice president of Property Group Partners, has been in discussions with city planning officials about constructing entire mini-farms on the roofs of several buildings planned for the air rights above part of Interstate 395 near Mount Vernon Triangle. Called Capitol Crossing, Property Group Partners is in the final stages of winning approval to build a deck over the highway and then construct “five or six” buildings as high as 12-stories.

Cahill said he hopes the roofs of the 2.2 million-square-foot project can be used as urban farms to supply fresh food to restaurants that operate below.

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Lake Oswego resident Pam Helmick tends her community garden plot at city-owned Luscher Farm. The city of Lake Oswego recently applied to expand its urban growth boundary to include the farm and surrounding acreage. Photo by Sam Tenney/DJC.

“There is some urban agricultural activity going on, but it’s limited because of the current zoning.”

By Lee Fehrenbacher
DJC Oregon
Apr 24, 2012

Excerpt:

City planners have big ideas for a 47-acre farmstead and surrounding parkland in Lake Oswego. They want to expand urban agriculture opportunities, and plan for construction of an indoor tennis facility and athletic fields. The problem is that zoning won’t allow such development.

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The Poor Man’s Dividends from the City’s Unused Lands

The Washington Times
March 26, 1905

Excerpt:

“Work of City Gardens Association a great blessing.”
“One of its advantages is in the education of the poor.”
“It also supplies food for the families at work.”

These amateur truck farmers are all poor people who, through the charity and benevolence of a set of men known as the City Gardens Association, are given the privilege of converting for the time being the vacant lots into flourishing plants and crops.

The Washington city gardens are now entering upon the second year of existence. Last year eighty families had these gardens, varying in size from one-eighth to one-quarter of an acre. This year the association expects to furnish 200 families with small farms. The poor people of the city who want the land for cultivation were last year provided with the gardening implements and with the seed, labor being the only thing they had to furnish.

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SPUR offers 11 recommendations to expand and coordinate the city’s institutional support, increase funding and provide more access to public land.

By SPUR – San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association
April 2012, 36 pages

Excerpt – Executive Summary:

Urban agriculture has captured the imagination of many San Franciscans in recent years. Two dozen gardens and farms have sprouted across the city since 2008, and in 2011 the city changed its zoning code to permit urban agriculture in all neighborhoods. Interest in urban agriculture stems from its numerous benefits. City farming and gardening provides San Franciscans with vibrant greenspaces and recreation, education about fresh food and the effort it takes to produce it, cost savings and ecological benefits for the city, sites that help build community, and a potential source of modest economic development. But the city will not fully capture these benefits unless it responds to the growing interest and energy behind the issue.

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By Tom Moggach
Paperback: 192 pages
Publisher: Kyle Books (5 April 2012)

Tom Moggach runs City Leaf, an urban gardening company in London, and teaches people of all ages to grow and cook their own food. As a journalist, he has written for the Guardian, Daily Telegraph and Financial Times and has reported for The Food Programme (Radio 4). He lives in London with his wife and daughter.

The book:

Growing food is different in the city: life is faster and space is tight. So it is vital to focus on only the most rewarding edible plants.

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