Urban Farming – Page 49 – Urban Organic Gardener

February 3, 2016

Japanese Firm to Open World’s First Robot-Run Farm

One Japanese company is about to open up a “robot farm”, the first of it’s kind in the entire world. The plan is that the robots will carry out all but just one task needed to grow tens of thousands of plants each and every day. Starting in mid 2017, robots will do everything from watering, thinning, and harvesting lettuce. The farm should produce nearly 21,000 – 50,000 lettuces a day!

“The seeds will still be planted by humans, but every other step, from the transplanting of young seedlings to larger spaces as they grow to harvesting the lettuces, will be done automatically,” said JJ Price, Spread’s global marketing manager.”

To read the rest of the article, visit: “TheGuardian.com“

February 2, 2016

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February 1, 2016February 1, 2016

Bus Converted into Mobile Food Market Brings Fresh Produce To Low-Income Neighbourhoods

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“

January 31, 2016January 31, 2016

Farming Instead of Recess: More Schools Launch Garden Programs to Plant Seeds of Learning

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“

January 29, 2016

Urban Farming in Long Forgotten Tunnels Below London

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“

January 28, 2016

City Mulls Urban Garden Plan For Vacant Lots in San Diego

San Diego is moving in the right direction! Newly proposed was an incentive for owners of vacant or unsightly properties if they would set aside the land for gardening.

“Under the Urban Agriculture Incentive Zone program, property owners would be allowed to enter into contracts at least five years long with the city and county of San Diego to allow their vacant, unimproved or blighted land to be used for agricultural uses, like community gardens.”

Some of the requirements would be that each property size would need to be at least 1/10 of an acre and no more than three acres. No zoning changes would need to be made.

“A landowner would benefit in return when a piece of property is assessed using the per-acre value of irrigated cropland in California.

The county of San Diego is developing its own ordinance since the county assesses properties. The incentive program was authorized by the state Legislature in January 2014.”

The original article can be found at: “Fox5SanDiego.com“

January 27, 2016

Farms in The Sky: Fewer Food Miles, Less Waste, More Jobs

Urban farming on city rooftops is gaining popularity, and for many reasons. Everyone wants to consume food that is produced closer to home.

Space limitations in a city such as Hong Kong make rooftop farming an attractive option for growers. Farming on the rooftop has numerous social, economic and environmental benefits. A HKU paper examining green roofs concluded that:

“Apart from enhancing the city landscape and environment, mitigating the urban heat island effect and improving air quality, green roofs can improve the micro-climate and increase the life span of waterproof and insulation facilities on the roof. Consequently, roof greening with a sufficiently large scale is conducive to energy conservation and life cycle cost saving for the urban city.

Green roofs can help reduce three of the four top problems facing society in the next 50 years: energy, water, and environment. In this way, the green roof technology has a potential to improve the quality of population health and welfare in urban areas with dramatically reduced vegetation.”

Read the entire article at: “HongKongfp.com“

January 26, 2016

9 of The Best Vegetables To Grow In Small Gardens

Gardening in small space can be just as rewarding and fun as growing in a large garden area. These days, urban gardeners are growing more of their own food in sometimes less than 100 square feet. Balconies, patios, even indoor windowsills are a great place to grow vegetables and herbs. Almost anything can be grown in a container, and if you’re wanting to know what you should plant to maximize your yield in a small area, here are 9 of the best vegetables/herbs to grow in a small garden.

1. Shallots:

Space shallots approx. 4-6 inches apart with the rows 18 inches apart. Plant the bulb root side down, the top of the bulb 1 inch below the surface. Planting too deep grows elongated bulbs that don’t store well.

2. Carrots:

Sow seeds evenly in a very shallow trench, about 1/4 inch deep. Keep seeds moist so they will germinate. Space rows about 12″ apart and when the first leaves emerge, thin to 1″ apart; when true leaves emerge, thin to 3″ apart.

3. Cherry Tomatoes:

To start tomatoes indoors, sow seeds using expanding seed starting soil pods about 8 weeks before the last frost date for your area. Seedlings will be spindly with less than 12-14 hours of light per day, try to keep them in a warm sunny location. When seedlings have 4 leaves, transfer to a deeper pot (3-4″) and again when 8-10 inches tall. Each time, place the uppermost leaves just above the soil line and remove all lower leaves. Transplant into the garden when the stem above the soil has reached 8-10 inches tall. Be sure to harden them off before transplanting them outdoors. Allow up to 10 days for the tomato plants to harden off to the outside temperature fluctuations.

4. Runner Beans:

Set three 6 foot poles in the ground, tepee fashion, and tie together at the top. Leave 3 to 4 feet between the pole groups. Make a hill at the base of each pole, enriched with compost or well-rotted manure, and plant 6-8 seeds in each. After the second pair of true leaves appear, thin to 3 plants per pole. With regular harvesting, the pole beans should bear all summer.

5. Garlic:

Break apart cloves from bulb but keep the papery husk on each individual clove.
Ensure soil is well-drained with plenty of organic matter. Plant in Full Sun.
Plant 4 inches apart & 2 inches deep, in their upright position (the wide end down and pointed end facing up). Come springtime, shoots will begin to emerge.

6. Kale:

Plant Kale in rows 18 inches to 2 feet apart. When the seedlings are 3 or more inches high, thin plants to 10 inches apart and use the thinnings for salads or as a cooked vegetable.

7. Basil:

Try to space your basil plants about 12 inches apart. As long as you harvest the leaves when they are young, basil plants make a wonderful container crop.

8. Lettuce:

Seed should be sown thinly in rows 1 foot apart; for leaf types, thin plants to 2-3 inches apart, then thin again by pulling every other plant when half grown. This will encourage thickly developed plants. For head, Bibb, and cos types, space rows 18 inches apart, plants 8-10 inches apart. Closer spacing results in smaller heads, which may be preferable for small families.

9. Beets:

Sow seed 1/2 inch deep in rows 12-18 inches apart. The beet seed is a compact ball of many tiny seeds. Many plants germinate where each seed is sown, so seed should be placed sparingly. When seedlings are 4-6 inches high, thin plants to stand 1 1/2 inches apart. (They can be used in salad or cooked as spinach.) Then, as these beets grow to about an inch in diameter, pull every other one to allow larger beets to grow.

Original post can be found at: “SeedsNow.com“

January 25, 2016January 25, 2016

The Impacts of Increased Urban Farming in Phoenix

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“

January 24, 2016January 24, 2016

40 Smart Space Savvy Garden Ideas

For those who have a desire to garden but are lacking square footage, here are 40 awesome ways you can garden in small spaces! Most of these ideas use repurposed items that you might already have.

1. Grow succulents on top of wine bottle corks that have magnets secured to the back.

2. Use pallets to grow vertically. Especially useful on decks, patios and balconies.

3. Try growing in a “Dutch Bucket” hydroponic system.
4. Create a vertical hydroponic system using repurposed pipes.
Visit the original article at “art.ekstrax.com” to view more Smart Space Savy Garden Ideas.

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January 23, 2016

San Francisco Restaurant the Perennial is Facing Climate Change Head-On

Today, all over the United States, chefs and restaurants have figured out a way to keep where their food sources more local. This means they could be growing their own tomatoes on a rooftop or even sourcing food from some of their customers backyard gardens.

“The Perennial, a soon-to-open San Francisco eatery, plans to take the business of local sourcing several steps further. Many of the greens and herbs the restaurant serves will be grown in a closed-loop aquaponic system based across the Bay in Oakland. And when chef Chris Kiyuna wants to serve say, some sorrel or sprigs of purple basil, he’ll be able to harvest them from the “living pantry”–an area of the restaurant where the greens will float until just moments before they’re served.”

“The living pantry is meant to spark conversation about the many connections between food and climate change–as will many other elements of the restaurant Eater SF has called “mega-sustainable.” Leibowitz says she and Myint were inspired to focus on the topic after hearing that greenhouse gas emissions from the farms and fisheries could increase by 30 percent by 2050.”

To read the full article, visit: “CivilEats.com“

January 21, 2016

Urban Farming is Booming, But What Does It Really Yield?

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“

January 20, 2016January 20, 2016

Truck Farm, a Wicked Delicate Film & Food Project

Image source: “Well+Good.com“

Fun and quirky urban farmers tell their story about how they planted vegetables and herbs in the back of a truck’s pick-up bed and literally drove around one of America’s largest cities.

“The design and installation of the Truck Farm was simple, and took less than a day once materials had been collected, all for less than $200. Victoria Foraker of Alive Structures donated the green roof materials for the bed, with PaulMankiewicz of the Gaia Institute providing the lightweight soil necessary for keeping the truck from buckling under a heavy load.” They ordered their heirloom seeds and once planted, they germinated within a few days.

“A time-lapse camera, powered by a small solar panel atop the truck’s cab, captured the progress of the plantings every 5 minutes, thanks to the clever gadgetry of physicist Dan Larsen. Once the seeds started to grow, Ian moved the Truck Farm to find shade on hot days, to borrow a bit of water from the hose spigot of the Italian restaurant down the block, and of course to dodge the street cleaners on Mondays and Fridays.”

To read more about America’s first “Truck Farm”, visit the original article at: “TruckFarm.org“

January 17, 2016

The Homeless Garden Project Helps People Find The Tools They Need to Build a Home in the World.

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”

January 16, 2016

Visit The Dervaes’ Urban Homestead, Pasadena, California

“Growing one’s own food in urban areas can seem like a far-fetched idea. But not for one Pasadena family.

The Dervaes family has been growing their own food for more than a decade. They’ve been at the forefront of urban homesteading by growing thousands of pounds of food annually in an average-size backyard.

“I brought the country to the city rather than having to go out to the country,” said Jules Dervaes, the man behind the self-sufficient farm he created with his three adult children.

The Dervaes’ Urban Homestead is sustainable and dense. They grow and raise 400 varieties of vegetables, fruits, and edible flowers that amount to about 6,000 pounds of food a year, enough to feed the family with surplus left over to sell. Fresh eggs from chickens round out their diet.

The family-owned city farm is the talk of the town for many local chefs looking to cook up a tasty meal. The family makes roughly $20,000 just from selling their freshly grown produce. They use the money to buy staples that they can’t grow like wheat, rice, and oats.

Reporter Val Zavala visits the Dervaes’ homestead to find out what inspired Jules Dervaes to go green in the extreme.”

January 15, 2016

Gardening Guru is Getting Children Hooked on the Joys of Gardening

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“

January 13, 2016January 13, 2016

This Californian Urban Farm Is A Glimpse Into The Future Of Agriculture

Urban farming is taking off, and California is is getting a glimpse of what future agriculture might be like. Take a look at this Long Beach urban farm, all part of The Growing Experiment. Here you’ll find countless fruits, veggies and herbs growing in 175 metal towers. It’s also home to a 600 gallon tub filled with tilapia and goldfish. They use this tub filled with fish as part of their aquaponic system which delivers the nutrients to the plants.

“For each square foot of space, we’re basically replicating three to four square feet outdoors. We’re maximizing vertical space. Even though this is 1,000 square feet, it’s almost the equivalent of up to 4,000 square feet in the ground.”

You can read the entire article at “fastcoexist.com“.

January 10, 2016

How to Turn A Dresser Into a Vertical Vegetable Garden

Old dressers are easy to come by and for balcony gardeners or anyone who’s wanting to grow more food in less space by creating a vertical garden, this project might just be for you! “Making a container garden from up-cycled dresser drawers is pretty simple. You’ll want to start with a plan. Things you’ll want to consider…

Where will the container garden go? This will depend heavily upon what you plan to plant.
Do the plants you want to grow thrive in full sun, partial sun or shade? Also keep in mind that the drawers lend to a very shallow growing space. Plants that can thrive with less depth include lettuce, herbs, strawberries, cucumbers, onions and radishes.

Once you know what you want to plant and where your garden will grow, it’s time to inspect your drawers.

Are they sturdy enough? If not, reinforce them.
Have they been treated with any sort of paint, stain or chemicals? If so, you’ll probably want to sand them down or use some sort of a liner that will act as a protective barrier.

Next, you’ll need to drill holes in the bottom of your drawers so moisture has somewhere to drain out. Now it’s time to fill your new dresser drawer vegetable garden with potting soil. Be sure to add some of your homemade compost to give your veggies an extra boost!

At this point, you’re finally ready to plant your seeds. Be sure to read the instructions on the seed package and properly space the seeds so your plants have room they need to thrive.”

Read the full article and find more step-by-step instructions here: “Earth911.com“.

January 6, 2016

Urban Farm Grows More Than 800 Pounds of Produce for Local Food Banks

This urban farm in Detroit is growing more than 800 lbs. of fresh fruits and vegetables annually and then donates it all to local food banks. The farm is completely ran by volunteers and within the park you’ll find over 200 varieties of plants, vines, and fruit trees, which make a wonderful habitat for bees and butterflies.

“Lafayette Greens also provides an example of a successful and sustainable public-private partnerships. Compuware and the City of Detroit, who owns the land, negotiated a cooperative lease agreement that benefits the public.”

Read the full article here: “asla.org“

January 5, 2016January 5, 2016

Europe’s Largest Rooftop Farm Underway, Scheduled To Open THIS MONTH!

A new 14,000+ square foot rooftop garden is being constructed in Europe and it’s scheduled to be completed this month. Their fish and vegetables will be ready for purchase beginning sometime in April, although tours will begin sometime in February.

The building “will house Europe’s largest commercial urban food production facility, covering a 13,000 square foot rooftop greenhouse for specialty vegetables, a 4,000 square foot indoor fish farm, and 2,700 square feet of integrated processing and packaging. The farm will also dedicate 2,700 square feet exclusively for events and tours.”

Read the full article at: “TheGreenHouseGrower.com“