Author: UOG

Much of the population that lives in urban areas isn’t able to maintain a diet that consists of a lot of fresh vegetables, herbs or fruit.  Money seems to play the number one factor for this, because fresh vegetables and fruits can be expensive in these areas.  The Mobile Good Food Market is changing this, by bringing more fresh produce into these areas without the consumer needing to travel.

“Thanks to a collaboration between FoodShare Toronto ,the City of Toronto, and United Way Toronto, an old bus was converted into what is a mobile food market. Everything from broccoli and lettuce, to apples and onions or other fruits and vegetables are available when the bus comes to town, twice per week. The price isn’t that much lower, because they have to take care of the costs involved by the bus, but all in all, the idea behind such a conversion is easy to praise and be impressed by.”

You can find more details in a video here: “OffGridQuest.com“

Several days a week, at Malcom Elementary School, kids anxiously wait to skip their recess during lunch hour. Instead of playing on the playground, children line up outside of the school’s garden.  The children work on starting vegetables and herbs from seed, and learn techniques for transplanting and thinning seedlings.  They also participate in activities like scavenger hunts that are centered around botany.

“Since 2012, the Grow Your Own! program has expanded to serve 30 area schools, and now receives more applications than it can accept. The Ecology Center consults with schools about garden design and provides guidance about what to plant. The organization also offers curriculum development and ongoing training for teachers and garden volunteers.”

Read the rest of the article at: “OCregister.com“

In the tunnels below London, you’ll find an abandoned bomb shelter that was once able to accommodate around 8,000 people.  These days, it provides a controllable environment ideal for growing crops underground. Their aim is to provide produce with zero effects on the environment.  The site is located just two miles from city center and promises “farm to fork in less than four hours”.

“The location allows for all year round urban farming, as it’s unaffected by weather and seasonal changes. It is a pesticide-free environment and the hydroponics system employed is said to use 70 percent less water than traditional open-field farming. Likewise, the lighting and irrigation systems mean the crops can be grown with very little energy. What energy is used is sourced only from green suppliers.”

Read more of the original article at “gizmag.com“

Arizona State University is tackling big questions as to what would some of the impacts be if urban farming continues to increase.  What would Phoenix look like if more of the vacant or empty lots were transformed into community, urban farms?  Would it mean that more locally grown food would be available to those who live near the farms?

“Arizona State University is taking the lead on a collaborative national project to answer questions like these. Researchers in the university are developing a physics-based model utilizing weather and farming data to predict environmental, economic and socio-economic impacts of increased urban agriculture.”

“For example, the team will study what would happen if vacant lands around the Phoenix metropolitan area were converted to farms. The model will be able to take a future map of the city expansion and samplings based on current densities, and use that data to predict a future city scenario. Bringing food closer to consumers with less shipping means fresher, more nutritious food available at lower cost.”

To read the full article, visit: “asunow.asu.edu“

Did you know that in Philadelphia alone their 226 community and squatter gardens grew about 2 million pounds of vegetables and herbs back in 2008? Or how about Brooklyn’s “Added-Value Farm“, which is just shy of 3 acres and grows nearly 40,000 pounds of fresh fruit and vegetables for the nearby low-income neighborhoods. Don’t forget about what they’re doing over in Camden, New Jersey! Their city of about 80,000 people have about 44 different gardens throughout the community and harvest roughly 30,000 pounds of vegetables during their summers.  “That’s enough food during the growing season to feed 508 people three servings a day.”

Young farmers across the United States are popping up in increasing numbers. Their desire to grow healthy and “local” produce for themselves and their community is what drives them.

“The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations reports that 800 million people worldwide grow vegetables or fruits or raise animals in cities, producing what the Worldwatch Institute reports to be an astonishing 15 to 20 percent of the world’s food. In developing nations, city dwellers farm for subsistence, but in the United States, urban ag is more often driven by capitalism or ideology. The U.S. Department of Agriculture doesn’t track numbers of city farmers, but based on demand for its programs that fund education and infrastructure in support of urban-ag projects, and on surveys of urban ag in select cities, it affirms that business is booming. How far—and in what direction—can this trend go? What portion of a city’s food can local farmers grow, at what price, and who will be privileged to eat it? And can such projects make a meaningful contribution to food security in an increasingly crowded world?”

To read the rest of the article, visit: “PolicyInnovations.org“

Source: facebook.com/HomelessGardenProject

In the Homeless Garden Project, in Santa Cruz, trainees are able to learn about transitional employment in a structured environment. They also are learning basic life skills that are required for employment, while learning a variety of other marketable skills.   While volunteering in the gardens, they receive 4 hot meals a week prepared by other trainees and staff members.   The opportunity is there for giving back to the community by growing food for other numerous homeless and needy populations. The Homeless Garden Project currently grows organic fruit, flowers and vegetables for their community by hosting a CSA program.

Why do they do it? 
“Homelessness and joblessness go hand in hand. Lack of job skills, recent work history, social support network and low self esteem all make the transition out of homelessness more difficult. The integrated approach of the Homeless Garden Project’s programs addresses all of these needs.”

Learn more about this project at: “www.homelessgardenproject.org”

One man, Tom Moggach, is teaching children all about the joys of gardening from a small urban garden located at a London school. They have several raised beds, and the school even built a polythene-covered greenhouse.  At this school, every Wednesday, the children get to spend time in this garden growing vegetables and herbs and for those really interested there’s even an after school program.

“It’s all about the power and potential of outdoor learning,” he says. “And eating.” This year they have plans to build a compost pile as well.  400 children in the school have the experience of growing their own food.

To learn more about this gardening guru, you can read the full article at: “TheIndependent.co.uk“