Feeding Ourselves Well
Urban Gardening Takes Root
Tracey, owner of EcoUrbanist environ- mental design in Vancouver, Canada, and author of Urban Agriculture. “Some are office workers leaving unsatisfying jobs, techie types learning the trade in universi- ties and back-to-the-land folks that hap- pen to live in cities. Others are activists taking on the industrial farm system, folks adopting trends or entrepreneurs that see opportunities in the rising prices of qual- ity food and the proximity of millions of customers.”
by John D. Ivanko and Lisa Kivirist “I
n just one-twelfth of an acre, including lots of paths and a com- post heap, our family grows the
vast majority of the fresh vegetables we need, plus a decent chunk of our fruits and berries,” says Erica Strauss. “It’s not a huge garden, but we still feel nearly over- whelmed with the harvest in late August.” Her family of four tends a diversity of edibles on their urban lot in a suburb of Seattle, Washington. Word has spread because Strauss writes about her experiences via North- west Edible Life, a blog about food grow- ing, cooking and urban homesteading. “Every kid on the block has picked an Asian pear off my espalier and munched on raw green beans,” she notes. “Even picky eaters seem pretty interested when they can pick tasty treats right from the tree or vine.” We don’t need to live in a rural area or on a farm to grow our own food. By the close of World War II, nearly 40 per- cent of all fruits and vegetables supplying Americans stateside were grown in vic- tory gardens in the communities in which they were consumed.
40 NA Triangle
www.natriangle.com Today, these small plots are often
termed kitchen gardens, comprising parts of household lawns, schoolyards, balco- nies, patios and rooftops. Fresh taste and the security of local food supplies in case of manmade or natural upheavals are drawing more people to gardening.
Garden Cities
“Urbanization, a major demographic trend, has implications for how we grow and consume food,” observes Roger Doiron, founder of Kitchen Gardeners In- ternational. “If we agree that feeding more people fresh, local foods is a priority, we’re going to need to landscape and, in many cases, retrofit urban and suburban areas for increased food production.” Millions of Americans now partici-
pate in growing mainstay foods. According to a 2009 study by the Na- tional Gardening Association, 31 percent of all U.S. households grew food for their families in 2008, and more have since the economic downturn. Bruce Butter- field, the association’s research director, estimates that nearly 70 percent of these gardens are in urban or suburban areas. “We’re seeing a new crop of farm- ers that defy stereotypes,” observes David
Opportunities and Pitfalls Urban gardening has unexpected advan- tages in its use of organic waste like cof- fee grounds from a local coffee house and rainwater from area rooftops. Converting lawns at schools, churches and empty city lots into community gardens fosters community connections, improves access to affordable nutritious foods and creates employment opportunities. A widespread challenge to the trend is dealing with the quality of urban soil and testing for possible toxins. Often, urban soil must be improved using com- post and other nutrients before plants can prosper. A nearby irrigation source is also required.
“One potential problem for urban
gardeners may be the community reaction to an edible landscape,” admits Strauss. “In some cities, edible gardens in the front yard or even the common parking strip are celebrated and even officially encour- aged. But in communities where lawn is still king and city codes regarding vegeta- tion are vague and open to interpretation, one complaint from an anonymous neigh- bor can become an exhausting political and legal fight.”
Feeding Community Community gardens often transform vacant lots and other marginal land into green growing places. In Chicago, The Peterson Garden Project, an award-win- ning nonprofit program, has been turning unsightly empty lots into raised-beds in which residents learn to grow their own food since 2010. “Nationally, it’s been found that
having a community garden on unused land increases property values, decreases crime and promotes a sense of unity with neighbors and others,” explains LaManda Joy, president and founder of the project.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56