Category — Events

Cleveland-Marshall College of Law seeks proposals for presentations at the symposium

04/20/2012 – 2:00pm – 5:00pm
1801 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, Ohio 44115

Cleveland-Marshall College of Law is presenting “Urban Agriculture: It’s Not an Oxymoron. Policies for Cultivating City Land and Increasing Access to Local Food” a symposium on policy, land-use and other legal issues connected to urban agriculture and the local food movement.

As the movement towards local food continues to grow, cities are finding that they must develop law and policies to allow for and regulate agricultural practices within urban communities. Many cities are implementing policies to increase urban food production through regulation, incentives, and more comprehensive land-use and public-health policies.

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Forthcoming at: Agriculture in an Urbanizing Society – International Conference on Multifunctional Agriculture and Urban-Rural Relations The Netherlands 1 – 4 April 2012

By Nathali Lehmann Schumann and Michael Heasman
Global Nutrition and Health, Metropolitan University College
Copenhagen, Denmark

Abstract only:

This paper presents evidence on the policy challenges facing urban agriculture in the cities of Vancouver, New York, London and Copenhagen based on an analysis of relevant policy documents and in-depth interviews with experts in each city who are directly involved in the implementation of policy related to urban agriculture. Despite progress in each city, the research suggests the extent of the role of urban agriculture is not fully understood or defined and that it is rare to find stand-alone policy documents. Instead urban agricultural policies are usually embedded within wider policy initiatives such as on the environment, sustainability, planning or ‘green’ city policies.

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February 16, 2012
11 a.m. – 12 p.m. (PST); 2 p.m. – 3 p.m. (EST)

A vibrant movement is afoot in cities across the country ? farmers, activists, and community organizations are improving the health, economic outlook, and vitality of their communities through urban farming. Advocates are illustrating that urban agriculture is a pathway to making healthy food more available for low-income communities, a key to shifting economic revitalization efforts, and catalytic for battling the challenges of blight and abandonment.

Building from the recently released PolicyLink Urban Agriculture Tool, PolicyLink will be hosting a mini-series of webinars focusing on how low-income communities and communities of color are incorporating urban agriculture into their community development efforts and into policy infrastructures supporting this work.

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The conference will be held in Dutch

From Guido van Rijkom:

We have attracted a large number of good speakers to the conference, both from city governments, entrepreneurs, housing agencies, etc. I am also very happy to announce that Wayne Roberts (Toronto Food Policy Council) will be our keynote speaker that day.

The conference will be held in Dutch and it is mainly for a Dutch audience (some from Belgium, maybe some from Germany).

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John Ameroso is responsible for around 18 tons of produce grown in NYC a year, and sowing gardens and since 1976.

January 18th, 2012
1118 Cortelyou RD, Brooklyn

In 1976 John Ameroso piloted the Urban Gardening Program with Cornell University Cooperative Extension, and through his efforts successfully set the ground for Extension education in urban horticulture and food production for New York City. Mr. Ameroso served as President of the New York State Association of County Agricultural Agents (1997) and serves on the Boards of Directors for four organizations – one concerned with environmental “greening” issues (Neighborhood Open Space Coalition);

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Agriculture in an urbanizing society – International Conference on Multifunctional Agriculture and Urban-Rural Relations

Conference
The Netherlands
1 – 4 April 2012

What are the challenges of future urban agriculture?

Urban agriculture is defined as producing food and food products within the city, or in the city fringe, and simultaneously provide non-food products and services for city dwellers. Urban agriculture is as old as our cities, but lost its function swiftly in the 19th century mainly due to new means of conservation, processing and transportation of food. Today, urban agriculture, in all its diversity, is regaining its function as local food producer and processor, in both developing and developed cities worldwide.

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Garden Grant Application Available Online, Due Dec. 23, 2011

Press Release
Oct. 25, 2011

Burpee Home Gardens(R) is now accepting applications for the 2012 “I Can Grow” Youth Garden Award. In its third year, the “I Can Grow” program continues to support urban school and community gardens in cities across the United States. To date, the “I Can Grow” program has provided more than 8,000 vegetable and herb plants to help create 16 gardens nationwide.

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Reap What You Sow -Eat What You Grow! 10th-12th December 2011, Mumbai

From Urban Leaves:

The aim of hosting this seminar is to give faces to names, learn some amazing gardening secrets from experienced practitioners, interact and meet all those like minded people across the country with whom we have been sharing our joys of harvests, sharing tips on composting, sowing and reaping up till now on e–groups and networking sites.

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Urban Agriculture – Innovative Farming Systems for the 21st Century

Online Class (December 19 – January 20, 2012)
Instructor: Helena Farrell

Description: The course explores the subject of Urban Agriculture through the investigation and evaluation of current urban farming system. Using case studies, students will practice critical research skills including information gathering, analysis and assessment, as a means for learning about contemporary urban farming systems and issues in the field. The first half of the course will involve focused investigation of particular urban farming designs using national and international examples.

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A gathering of Vancouver’s urban farmers

Friday, November 25, 2011 (evening);
Saturday, November 26, 2011 (all day)

Introduction from the website:

Vancouver has the goal of being the Greenest City in the World by 2020. Local food and green economy are two of ten areas of focus for achieving the greenest city goals. Urban farming is in a unique position to contribute to both of these goals. The number of urban farms in Vancouver is increasing and these green businesses are leading the way in developing economically viable food production models for the urban environment.

With urban commercial food production being a relatively new occurrence in Vancouver, it is not accounted for in current city policy. There are a number of factors affecting urban farms’ ability to operate as legitimate businesses in Vancouver including land zoning and business licensing. This forum comes out of an interest from both the City and Urban Farmers to work together toward policies, best practices, and land-use decisions that can support urban farming practices now and into the future.

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Urban Agriculture – How do we feed people in the urban era?

House of Sweden, 2900 K Street, NW, Washington, DC
November 16, 2011, 1 pm – 5 pm (refreshments will be served)
This is hosted by the Embassy of Sweden and Plantagon and its partners. There is no cost to attend.

As more and more people move to ever-expanding cities, farming will be pushed further away from population centers. The inevitable result of this ”urban sprawl” is longer transportation routes and less fresh products.
Especially low-income urban areas will be affected.

Join Swedish clean-tech and American know-how in a half-day seminar on how to use urban agriculture technologies to create a more sustainable city of tomorrow.

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City Harvest Festival, London. See more photos from the event here.

You Local Guradian
26th September 2011

Excerpt:

A farm in Colliers Wood has scooped the title of best in London for the second year running at a festival of city farming and community gardening.

Volunteers from Deen City Farm beat their nearest rivals Surrey Docks and attributed their victory to great teamwork and animal handling skills.

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A proposal to bring a major exhibition of British food, farming and countryside to Hyde Park, London on 26th-29th September 2013.

Buckingham Palace – Message from Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh, in support of Farming in the Park, London, 2013

Now that the majority of the population live in towns and cities, there is every reason to draw attention to the fact that just 3% of the working population produce about 80% of the food consumed by the whole population of this country.

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GrowTo: the What, How, Where and Why of Urban Agriculture

Ryerson University.
Toronto Oct-Nov 2011

Hear from local and international urban agriculture experts and participate in interactive discussions designed to expand local food production in Toronto.

Session 1: Oct 4. What can we grow? New Crops and Marketing for a Multicultural City

Session 2: Oct 20. How can we grow? Food Hubs – from Concept to Practice

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See City Chase adventurers in action in this video.

A unique urban adventure: counting worms, learning about composting

City Chase brought a few hundred explorers to the Vancouver Compost Demonstration Garden as part of a unique urban adventure. Participants had to dig through our worm bins and find 10 worms and also answer questions about the composting process. It was a wonderful way to introduce people to home composting.

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Mayor Kasim Reed, Wal-Mart and Sustainable Atlanta Announce Urban Farm Design Competition

Aug 24, 2011
Press Release

Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, Wal-Mart representatives and officials from the Office of Sustainability and Sustainable Atlanta announced today a competition to design an urban farm on a vacant lot across from City Hall. The Trinity Avenue Urban Farm Design Competition was launched to support the city’s effort in establishing an effective and inspirational model for urban agriculture and furthering the city’s pursuit of becoming a Top 10 sustainable city. In addition, as part of Wal-Mart’s initial funding, there is a $25,000 award to the winning submission.

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Sunday, September 18th from 11:00 am until 5:00 pm; to be followed by RiverSing. Mount Auburn Street from Eliot St to JFK St and in Winthrop Park, Cambridge, MA.

The Third Annual Urban-AG fair will be held on Sunday, September 18, 2011 on the site of the first marketplace in Newtone (1630s) and will showcase locally grown fruits and vegetables. Come sample delicious local fare, purchase locally grown foods, get tips from local experts on composting, community gardening, container gardening, and raising chickens and bees and more!

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Photo by Michael Abelman, Foxglove Farm.

At Michael Abelman’s farm – Salt Spring Island, BC. Canada

Tuesday, September 27th, 7:00pm – Friday, September 30th, 2011
instructor: Michael Ableman and Josh Volk
cost: $285 plus HST (lunches and dinners included)

Urban agriculture as a movement has come into its own, with a dramatic increase in individuals wanting to create agricultural enterprises on small plots in the city. While enthusiasm is high, the skill level required to make these enterprises financially viable is often lacking. This workshop, taught by two veteran farmers, will provide the nuts and bolts for starting an urban agricultural enterprise from site selection and soil remediation, to developing a business and crop plan, to propagation,

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“The winner will watch recording history go down in front of their eyes as they join Snoop Dogg as he creates his next new masterpiece.”

Look to the Stars
July 13, 2011

Rapper, actor and cultural trendsetter Snoop Dogg is adding philanthropist to his long list of accolades. The legendary entertainer and record producer has partnered with leading charity auction site charitybuzz.com to give one lucky fan the experience on a lifetime for a cause he’s passionate about.

Snoop is auctioning the rare opportunity to join him in his California recording studio to benefit Urban Farming and the Snoop Youth Football League.

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July 9 – Seattle Tilth’s Chicken Coop & Urban Farm Tour

Using our map with descriptions of each site, you can choose your own adventure. Some highlights include a Coop Expo at the Rainier Beach Farm with several builders ready to show-off a variety of coops that are made-to-order, a certified organic garden-to-market project used for mental health therapy, a community garden with a large chicken coop for Asian immigrant elders, a chicken coop with a green roof, rain barrels and neighboring goats, and a diverse garden with bees, worm bins and medicinal plants used to make herbal tinctures and salves.

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