‘Grandpa’s Allotment’ – jigsaw puzzle, prints

Michael Herring – Born in Hertfordshire in 1944, Michael grew up in post war Watford where there were still fields, woods, farms and rivers where he loved to be, along with visits to his grandparents who lived on a farm in Essex.

Trained in the print industry and studied in life classes at Watford School of Art, he preferred wildlife and the countryside.

Turning professional in 1985, turning his attention to dogs, childhood memories etc. In 1990 Michael moved to the Fens before moving back to his families roots in Norfolk.

Sadly Michael passed away suddenly on 27th August 2010 aged only at 66 years.

His work in now appreciated by collectors as his work appears on plates, mugs, clocks etc from Danbury Mint. Puzzles produced by Gibsons and The House of Puzzles.

See more of his work here.

Card of the print for sale.

Jigsaw puzzle for sale.

“The goal is for the resource to be continually growing with high quality advice on how to earn a living farming in the city”

By Gavin Walsh

“Urbanpatches will be a place where successful urban farmers can post what they’ve learned and their ‘best practices’ for running their farms. It’s designed so farmers can easily login (via Facebook) and add a post with their tips and strategies for running their farm successfully. It’s designed to be a resource and a way for urban farmers to share their knowledge with each other in one location.

“It is my hope that urban patches will grow into a solid resource for aspiring farmers to learn the best techniques for starting a farm of their own which is, I believe, the best way to make urban farming more popular. If we can make the content easy to read, learn from, and understand, more and more people will begin starting their own urban farms. This will in turn begin changing the way we eat.”

Visit the site here.

Seen on a London balcony next to Regent’s Canal.

Movement all over the country has had a healthy influence in cutting down excessively high price of commodities – 700 acres in St. Louis city lots turned under and cultivated in concerted drive on high cost of living (WW1)

The Agen Standard
Ogden, Utah
June 23, 1917

Excerpt:

The deduction drawn by those who are studying the effect of city gardens is that the city “farmer” can break the back of the high price of any vegetable that he is able to produce himself, if he will. It is to be expected that a failure in any line this year will result in special efforts the following season to protect this line.

The thrift garden, an accidental development of the war, seems to be a fixture in American life, judged by its brief career.

The hundreds who are thriftily producing garden truck where only weeds grew before will not only profit by the cash saving in their foodstuffs, but to a man, boy and woman, they are reaping dividends already in better health, strength and spirits.

“Codfish Aristocrat”

See the full page image here. (3.3MB)

24 Aug. 1942
Québec, Quebec

The Perry Sisters, employed at the Dominion Arsenals Ltd. plant, armed with rake, watering can and pitchfork, help look after the vegetable garden where they are working.

Nicholas Morant, photographie, Saint-Malo (Québec), Avril 1942.

During the Second World War, vast numbers of women entered the various war industries, especially inspecting and manufacturing munitions, as here in the Dominion Arsenal factory in Saint-Malo, Quebec.

Munitions Workers – Photos – National Film Board of Canada. Still Photography Division.

Already, eco-designers have been invited to look round the Olympic site in east London to see if there is potential for a farm after the Games.

The Independent
Jan 8, 2012

Excerpt:

Think of farming, and the rolling fields of the countryside spring to mind. But across Britain’s towns and cities, veggie growers, cheese-makers and honey producers are becoming established. Not since the Second World War, when people were urged to Dig for Victory, has urban farming been so popular.

Across the country, more than 2,000 new spaces for growing food have been created over the past three years. And this is just the start of the upsurge of inner-city farming. Already, eco-designers have been invited to look round the Olympic site in east London to see if there is potential for a farm after the Games.

Read the complete article here.

Farm School NYC program is a two year course that provides professional training in urban agriculture

By Lori Zimmer,
Inhabit New York City
12/30/11

Excerpt:

Students can either commit to a full two-year certificate program, or partake in many individual courses. Training with Farm School NYC isn’t just a crash course on urban farming, but instead designed to create a class of grassroots leaders who will help push the food justice movement forward. By training community members to become leaders, they can incite community organization and employ advocacy techniques to other community members who wish to be a part of the movement.

A network of urban farmers, community gardens and anti-hunger advocates make up the leaders of the program, and they pass on their expertise to each student, educating them on all fronts of food justice and practicality. Because the Farm School NYC seeks to create leaders in all neighborhoods and walks of life, the program’t tuition is on a sliding scale, based on income and household size.

Read the complete article here.

Trial at five contaminated urban agriculture sites in Kampala City, Uganda

By G. Nabulo, C.R. Black, J. Craigon, S.D. Young
School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham
Online: 28 December 2011.
Environmental Pollution
Volume 162, March 2012, Pages 389-398

Abstract

Concentrations of potentially toxic elements were measured in soils and five contrasting tropical leafy vegetables grown in a replicated field trial at five contaminated urban agriculture sites in Kampala City, Uganda. Soil contamination at each site could be tentatively ascribed to known waste disposal practices. There was considerable variation in metal uptake between vegetable types. Washing leafy vegetables reduced chromium and lead concentrations but exogenous contamination of leaves also depended on vegetable type, withGynandropsis gynandraL. showing a marked tendency to accumulate Pb and Cr.

For the worst case scenario of children consuming unwashed vegetables, some metal ‘hazard quotient’ (HQ) limits (1.0) were violated at four of the five sites studied. For the 25 ‘site-vegetable’ combinations assessed, the HQ for Pb exceeded 1.0 in 36% of cases. A vegetable-specific site screening tool based on soil extraction with 0.01 M CaCl2and extrapolation to provide HQ values was assessed.Solubility of toxic metals in soils used for urban agriculture is highly variable. Washing leafy vegetables prior to cooking reduces consumption of Cr, Pb, As and Ni. Lead (Pb) presents the greatest hazard in produce from agriculture in Kampala City. Agriculture in East African cities can be practiced safely with the right choices. Soil screening to predict hazard to consumers may be useful in site surveys.

Purchase paper here.

By Dave Hamilton
Green Books
April 2011

Don’t like spending money in garden centres? Think you can make it yourself for a fraction of the price or find a cheaper option? Dave Hamilton shows you how. By recycling and reusing materials creatively and making the most of what you have, you can gather all you need to grow your food on a budget. Whether it’s building your own shed from scrap, constructing a path out of recycled materials or storing your harvest without a freezer, it’s all here.

This practical guide: * takes you on a frugal journey through the seasons, from planning your space and setting up a plot to raising, recycling, harvesting and storing your plants * offers money-saving tips every step of the way, and occasional tips on the actual gardening! * is crammed full of satisfying projects, from seed saving and making your own plant feed to building a fence or garden shed * gives step-by-step instructions, with easy-to-follow diagrams. *

The Perfect Book Launch Audience by Dave Hamilton

Excerpt:

See the book here.

36 minute film

Director/Producer: Ella von der Haide
Produced in 2006 – Germany

Synopsis:

Urban community gardens are a phenomenon that is growing worldwide. In Berlin as well, more and more people are coming together in order to take responsibility for their surroundings collaboratively and to grow their own ecological foods. At the heart of the film are the activists from three inner-city community gardens,

their visions, and the gardens themselves. They explain how and why their gardens are not only green oases within the city, but also projects that bring “another world” into being.

See the complete film here.

Founded in 1945, CARE is a leading international humanitarian organization fighting global poverty. In more than 80 countries, CARE works with the poorest communities.

Piglet for a household

Perhaps you’re asking yourself: “What help is a piglet?” Piglets can be bred and sold, providing a new source of income. So now when someone asks you why you gave a piglet as a gift, you can tell them you helped someone start on the path of a sustainable livelihood. Or you can just oink at them, whichever you prefer. Link here.

A pair of chickens

So this year, get them something truly unique like a pair of chickens. “CHICKENS?” you say? Yes. Chickens. First of all, they’re amazing, and who doesn’t want something amazing? Second of all, they can help a family lift themselves out of poverty.

For Hanifa Sakhi, chickens meant the difference between life on the street in Afghanistan and a thriving home. When her husband disappeared in Kabul, Hanifa and her six children were left to fend for themselves, and her boys sold chewing gum on street corners to pay for food. Today, Hanifa lives in a small house and earns enough money to feed her family and to send her youngest son to school all because someone bought her some chickens. Link here.

A pair of breeding goats

Beyond being very cute, goats are a valuable addition to a family. Goats can produce milk which in turn provides nutrition and protein. And a pair of breeding goats can produce baby goats, which can then be traded or sold to another family for vegetables, fruit and other necessities. As more baby goats are born, a sustainable livelihood is created when goats find new homes throughout the community. Plus once you give a pair of breeding goats, you'll be able to say "We're just waiting for the kids to be born!" Link here.

In many ways Detroit has become the new ‘touchstone’ for urban agriculture, replacing Cuba. (Mike)

Part 2, Urban Farming Detroit by Lisa Richter, Norman Anderson, George Parker, Ms. Peewee, Sweetie, L.J. Roberts, Malik Yakini.

Urban Farming in the D – Fox News report

Four gift cards

These gorgeous 5×8″ glossy photo cards will inspire the food grower in everyone! This is a way to make a donation in someone’s name as a holiday gift. When you purchase a card in someone’s name, just choose the amount you’d like to give. Or order one for yourself. We’ll mail the photo card to you or the recipient with a special message on the back.

About this photo: Tess Lavoie Brown is an urban market farmer in Providence’s West End. Tess, along with her sister, Laura, and childhood friend, Faye, started Sidewalk Ends Farm in the spring of 2011. On their 1/4 acre lot, they grow produce for a CSA and market sales with the Little City Growers Cooperative. They also raise chickens, thanks to a landmark ordinance passed unanimously by the Providence City Council in the summer of 2010 after a grassroots organizing effort led by Southside Community Land Trust.

Buy the cards here.

“The amount of opportunities to get involved in small scale and urban scale farming surprised me.”

Multnomah County, Oregon
Multco.us
11/16/11

Aspiring urban farmers, listen up: Multnomah County, in partnership with Oregon State University Extension Service, is offering classroom training and hands-on, in-field apprenticeships with local farmers during an eight-month program in 2012.

The application period for the Beginning Urban Farmer Apprenticeship (BUFA), which is in its second year, opened on Tuesday, Nov. 15. The program provides season-long training for the next generation of beginning farmers who want to participate in small-scale, urban farming. Apprenticeships start April 4, 2012.

Students gain knowledge through opportunities such as field trips, online learning, hands-on experience and OSU’s Growing Farms: Successful Whole Farm Management Workshop Series. The series focuses on farm business planning.

More here.

A chat with Karney Hatch, filmmaker

Karney briefly visited with me in Vancouver between flights. He is returning home to the USA for Thanksgiving after filming around the world for the past 5 months. He recounts his most memorable urban agriculture meeting in Ethiopia with a young urban farmer. (Mike)

Excerpt from his website:

“Waldemariam is a double orphan. His father was the second parent to pass away, a few years ago when he was a young teenager. About the same time, he became involved in the school garden. Many of the students who initially signed up for the program dropped out over time, but Waldemariam showed the patience and dedication required to succeed as an urban farmer. One of the first things he bought with the money he made selling vegetables was a flashlight and a supply of batteries, so that he could continue studying after dark; the family with whom he was staying were unable to afford electricity after dark, which in Addis is around 6:30 PM all year.

He studied like this, by flashlight, for two years after his father passed away, until recently when he was able to move in with neighbors who have electricity. Now 17, his dream is to become a doctor, and his physics teacher told me he has what it takes to make it: this term he earned a 3.7 GPA and received one of the only A’s in physics.”

See “Plant This Movie” website here.

re|CONNECT An Open Ideas Competition

re:CONNECT invites the citizens of Vancouver, to join with local and international designers to ignite discussion and dream new possibilities for the future of the Viaducts and the City’s broader Eastern Core.

Visualizing the Viaducts – Submission #23 (above)

The idea of the picnic is traditionally associated with celebrating food and play while bringing people together to create a rich experience. Situated on the border of several communities, Picnic Park encourages neighbourhoods to use the site as if it was their own backyard. The different spaces of the site, such as the orchard, waterfront or meadow offer a variety of spaces for a multitude of eating and picnicking experiences.

The Wildcard – Submission #33

Inspired by New York’s ‘Highline’ elevated park and the bustling pedestrian zones of Far Eastern cities, this proposal envisions the Georgia Viaduct as an elevated greenway replete with footpaths, orchards and vegetable gardens as well as plantings attractive to butterflies and birds. The pedestrian zones underneath would be lined with densely spaced, micro-storefronts that would be made available inexpensively to small-scale, locally-based entrepreneurs, food vendors etc.

The Wildcard – Submission #10

Vancouver Urban Farm Precinct

The missing piece of the goal for Vancouver to become the greenest city by 2020 is our very own urban farm precinct. False Creek Flats presents a unique and unparallel opportunity for the realization of the largest urban farm precinct.

This is a chance for us to change the world, right here in Vancouver.
This is Vancouver.
This is the Future.

See all submissions here.

She talks with Andrea Reimer, City Councillor

Kid reporter Tia, 9, reports on the Good Green News in the city of Vancouver – Find out why Vancouver helped bring over 400 community garden plots to the city!

Farming in the City of Vancouver

By Jillian Glover
This City Life
Nov 2, 2011

Excerpt:

Do you think Vancouver has a thriving urban farming/local food scene? What more needs to be done? What is missing?

The focus on the community gardens aspect of urban farming is strong, but there is a growing movement pushing for urban farms to contribute to food security. This is where there can be improvements. The city has definitions for what a park or community garden should look like, but not many guidelines for urban farms. It’s unclear how produce can be sold. It’s unclear what the tax system is for urban farms that are not on Agricultural Land Reserves. It isn’t a problem. Urban agriculture is new, so there is a little lack of awareness about the need and benefits.

Wouldn’t elementary school tours of a local urban farm be cool? Kids would understand the system. We need to increase the public understanding of how vital the local food system is to our economy and the social benefits of that connection.

Vancouver has the right seeds. There is a dedicated community of gardeners that wants this to happen and are in it for the right reasons. They are willing to do the work. We’ve also got strong voices from the city itself. City planners and staff are putting time towards this and its fits the Greenest City campaign.

Read more of this interview on This City Life.

See Shifting Growth here.

Time to collect your leaves for the coming 12 months

The number one secret to making good compost in a backyard bin is leaves. Every time food scraps go in, add a handful of leaves to the mix. At Vancouver’s Compost Garden, we collect enough leaves in the Fall to last the whole year.

Today Maria and I went down to Kitsilano Beach in Vancouver to collect bags of leaves and just happened to meet ‘Captain’ Kirk who was driving a tractor pulling a leaf vacuum sweeper for the Park Board. He shared with us where the leaves go and how they fertilize the City’s parks.

Leaves are the carbon ingredient that along with nitrogen-rich food scraps and grass clippings are the perfect blend for making compost.

If we could afford to fill large billboards throughout the City with large advertisements right now, we’d tell people to “Save Your Leaves to Make Compost”.

See our head gardener make compost at the Vancouver Compost Demonstration Garden

From YouTube notes:
“Rene and her Trio dropped in on the Emmanuel Dining Room (an organization that feeds the homeless) in Wilmington Delaware on the morning of her performance at the Clifford Brown Jazz Festival. What a delightful experience to see the faces light-up with sheer enjoyment when she performed this number.”

See more about Rene Marie here.

Listen to her fabulous rendition of Bolero/Suzanne here.