Urban Farming

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            During my junior year of undergrad, I went on a spring break service trip, and one of the many projects my team worked on was building an urban garden in Jacksonville, Florida.  This sparked my interest in urban gardening, and for this reason, the New York Times article entitled “Street Farmer” caught my attention.  This article profiles urban farmer Will Allen who is the Founder and CEO of Growing Power farm in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  Allen’s farm is composed of 14 greenhouses in an urban area which would otherwise be considered a food desert, located only a short distance from the largest public-housing project in Milwaukee.  The sheer amount of fresh produce that Allen’s farm provides city residents via the on-farm retail store, city famers’ markets, basket deliveries, and local schools and restaurants is impressive, but he doesn’t stop at this, raising livestock ranging from tilapia to goats to beehives right in the middle of Milwaukee.  The article goes on to detail Allen’s passion for his work, the unique life path he took to get to urban farming, and how he is passing on his expertise to other prospective city farmers.  As an increasing amount of research deals with food insecurity in urban food deserts and its negative effects on nutrition status and health, urban gardens, as well as rooftop gardens, will likely continue to pop up in cities, providing residents with an increased amount of fresh produce.

AR

Comments

  1. ErinAugust 31, 2013 at 11:08 AM

    Ashley,
    This is a really interesting article. In my Perspectives in Community Nutrition Class last semester, we frequently discussed feasible solutions to food deserts. We too talked about street farming. The article below introduces a man named Jeff Klein who began a street side garden in his diverse Detroit neighborhood. Detroit is known for being a food desert because if residents don't have a car, good bus access, or stable finances they are forced to find nutrition at a local convenience store or gas station. Klein states his neighborhood garden has helped break racial and social barriers because everyone comes together over a common interest, food. Furthermore, he states he has had a neighbor approach him asking if it was alright if he took strawberries out of the garden because his son didn't know what this fruit looked like! Klein's response was that is exactly the garden's purpose. Klein has now opened a retail store called Detroit Farm and Garden to provide agricultural and landscape resources to assist and support ongoing efforts in food sovereignty and rebuilding of local economies. Aside from neighborhood gardens and markets, Detroit is also beginning to see an increase in packaged products from foods grown in the gardens such as sauerkraut, relish, pickles, and honey. Interestingly, individuals coming up with solutions to food insecurity are not dietitians, Klein was an inspiring musician. It's important nutrition professionals start participating and being seen in this new movement!
    Erin Kintner

    http://thedeliciousday.com/environment/urban-farming-detroit/

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