Author: UOG

In San Antonio, the East Side is seeing a neat transformation all because of a new Urban Garden Project.

“Visitors can learn about fresh vegetables, canning, making honey, even beer and wine…a restaurant may even be in the works along with a vineyard. ”

It’s location takes up about a 10-acre plot which runs along a railway near a middle school.  Once the neglected grounds is converted into a modern urban farm they plan to name the project “the Greenies” as opposed to the name the area has now ‘The Goonies’, because of how overgrown it is.

To read more about this project, visit: “KSAT.com“

If you’re anywhere near New York City’s Hudson river this summer, make sure you visit Swale, a floating garden of edible plants.  An 80 by 30 foot area will sit on top of recycled shipping containers and literally be a floating food forest with fruit trees, herbs, kale, blueberries, gooseberries, huckleberries, and smaller plants like asparagus, cherry tomatoes, yams and greens. The best part? visitors on the vessel will be allowed to harvest their food for free.

“Not only is it a floating urban farm, a pavilion erected on the structure will also serve as home-base for Eco_Hack 2016, “a large-scale eco/social/digital installation and performance series.” The free, month-long gathering will consist of performances, gallery shows and activist meetings, and is open to the public.”

To read more about the Floating Food Forest, visit: “EcoWatch.com“

In Dayton, Ohio there’s a new urban garden that has sprouted up. It belongs to the FoodBank of Dayton and serves fresh produce to around 130,000 people from numerous counties.

To read more about the FoodBank’s Urban Garden visit: “MyDaytonDailyNews.com“

The demand for locally-grown produce is on the rise, and a 2015 report found that the number of farms with direct sales to consumers increased by 17%.  Another grocery shopper trend survey found that 29% of shoppers want to purchase more of their food from local sources.

“But some are asking the question: Is arugula that’s grown in a greenhouse in Chicago but owned by a multi-million-dollar company based in New York City really “local”?

To be clear, greenhouse farming is nothing new. The growing method is especially popular in Canada because of its cold climate that makes outdoor farming difficult, but most in the past have fallen into two camps: very small (local farmers tending to herbs and tomatoes) or massive industrial operations that ship the produce all over the world.”

To read the entire article visit: “CNBC.com“

“Urban farming has become a growing trend in recent years and farm-centric communities are winning with buyers. Here, Redfin managing editor Natalie Schwab presents the ten cities across the nation that are best for urban farming, where consumers can grow herbs and small crops of vegetables on a rooftop, raise chickens in their backyard, or plant food in a community garden.”

Eugene, Oregon made the top of the list in their TOP 10 CITIES FOR URBAN GARDENING.  To view the other 9 cities that made the list, and find out why, visit: “BuilderOnline.com“

The future of urban farming may mean more than just growing food on rooftops throughout the city or on vacant land in neighborhoods.  In London, architects are dreaming up some neat futuristic farming ideas. The idea? Urban farming taking on the form of incredible, plant-filled skyscrapers.

“Architects at London-based architecture firm Roger Stirk Harbour and Partners have mocked up a futuristic farming tower that could feed hungry urban dwellers who lack access to food. They entered the idea in the Expo Milano 2015, which prompted designers to create a building that could help solve hunger while also addressing a growing world population and increasing migration to cities. Their brainchild is called the Skyfarm.”

Learn more about this Skyfarm’s here, at: “MIC.com“

An abandoned and decaying home gets “one last hoorah” before being demolished.

“And although the house will no longer stand, its materials will be recycled and repurposed, and the property turned into a beautiful farm.

They hope that this project will inspire other people to take back land and buildings from the urban blight and turn the neighborhoods into something beautiful.”

Read more about Flower House at: “LittleThings.com“