Urban Farming



This week our lecture was on Urban Horticulture with a focus on Urban Farming and the feasibility of feeding the city from within.


 

We started way back in world war one when we saw community gardens and war effort gardening bringing people together to support our troops. This community food system has continued to be a part of urban and semi-urban neighborhoods throughout the years, with depression relief gardens, anti-inflation gardens and the new wave of urban farming we see today. Urban agriculture comes in many forms, the reclaiming of derelict land and abandoned lots, rooftop gardening, plant factories and even aquaponics are all options that agriculturists look into for feasibility in urban landscapes. However each of the aforementioned systems has its own problems that are often overlooked by aspiring business men/women. Research in these fields can lead to more profitable systems and lessen their carbon footprints.

 

 


In addition to farming there are several non-food related examples of urban horticulture. Public gardening like the Central Park in New York are examples of large urban horticulture ventures that provide drainage, reduce the urban heat island effect, and provide a comfortable place for people to coexist with nature. Planting trees and having green-space in cities is shown to reduce stress, crime, and suicide rates. People want to be around plants, and cities often isolate us from them, and that’s no Bueno.



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