Farming the City: Role of Urban Agriculture in Local Food Systems

Farming the City- Role of Urban Agriculture

in Local Food Systems

Summit Urban Farming Initiative (SUFI) Market Gardener Training

Presented by Brad Masi,

February 18, 2011

Friday, February 18, 2011

Summit Urban Farming Initiative (SUFI)

• Why local food systems?

• What part does urban farming play in cultivating local food systems?

• Examples of urban farming initiatives in Northeast Ohio

• Networks and collaboration


Schedule

6:15-6:25: Write name and one sentence vision statement on what you hope to do with this class

6:30-7:15- overview of local food systems and urban agriculture

7:15-7:30- map your vision and take a break

7:30-8:30- video case studies of urban farms

8:30-8:45- break

8:45-9:00- What assets are in the room?


Reason #1: Resilient Economy


Why Local Food Systems?


Distribution of Food Dollar 1900-2005

Farmer: 40 cents to 7 cents

Distribution: 42 cents to 73

cents



Distribution:•Refrigeration•Processing•Packaging•Transport•Advertising



These are all activities that take place outside of our regional or

local economies.



Opportunity Space:There’s a huge opportunityfor us to take over more

of the dollars spenton long-distance food

shipment and processingby reducing distribution

costs of local andshowing higher return

for farmer


Reason #2: Public Health and Social Equity


Health is more than just health care

• Where we live matters

• Cuyahoga County exploring the connection between health and land-use

• Access to food, gardens, green space, exercise are all driven by land-use

• Leadership from first Lady Obama


City of Cleveland

• Passes New Years Resolution legislation to address health and nutrition issues

• Cleveland Clinic, UH, Metro, and Vincent-Chairty hospitals collaborate to connect healthy food and local food


Reason #3: Energy and Climate


Queensland, Australia

The disruption of exports including coal and cotton caused the Australian dollar to fall to $98.32 in early trade...

As some economists’ predictions on the damage and clean-up doubled to $13 billion, PM Julia Gillard has so far ruled out increasing the budget deficit to help Queensland re-build...


Carbon Emissions of Northeast Ohio 4th in Nation


A 5% increase in soil organic matter (carbon) in the top 12 inches of topsoil would off-set carbon emissions in the United States released

since the 1950’s


A 5% increase in soil organic matter (carbon) in the top 12 inches of topsoil would off-set carbon emissions in the United States released

since the 1950’s

+Water storage

Water infiltrationFertility

Soil microbial lifeProductivity

Soil structure


Where to get leverage?

• Economic recession, job loss?

• Public health challenges?

• Climate change and energy?


Environment

Economy Community Health

Carbon sequestrationCarbon reduction

Soil buildingClean water

Restored biodiversity

Job creationEnterprise development

Community wealthEconomic linkages

Healthy individualsReduced health care cost

Social mixingEquitable access to food

Healthy Local Food

Systems


Role of Urban Farming in Local Food Systems


Why Urban Farming?

“By beautifying vacant lots and yards in nearly every section of the city, it has greatly increased realty values beside adding to the beauty of the city. But what is more important, it has made the health of the city better. It has got the people out of doors to cultivate <lower and vegetable gardens who before never ventured into a garden. They feel and live better.”


Why Urban Farming?

“By beautifying vacant lots and yards in nearly every section of the city, it has greatly increased realty values beside adding to the beauty of the city. But what is more important, it has made the health of the city better. It has got the people out of doors to cultivate <lower and vegetable gardens who before never ventured into a garden. They feel and live better.”

-Cleveland Plain Dealer Articleon Home Gardening Association, 1907


Back to the Future!• School garden program

developed as way to promote home gardening and use of vacant lots in Cleveland in 1904• Involved both youth and adult

education• Active until school deficits led

to its closure in 1977• Initiative replicated

throughout the world to adapt school garden concepts for their cities


Work Relief Gardens

Gardens for unemployedworkers in

Cleveland in 1930’s


Greenhouse Production

Northeast Ohio the “greenhouse capital” of America with more per capita production under glass than any other region in the

United States. Much production concentrated along Schaff Road in Old Brooklyn near Cleveland until late 1970’s


Historic Role of Urban Farming

• Urban beautification (Home Gardening Association)

• Learning and community building (school gardens)

• Unemployment and economic relief (Work Relief Gardens)

• Economic production (greenhouses)


Urban Farming Today• Vacant land re-utilization

• Food security/food access

• Employment

• Entrepreneurship

• Community building

• Learning and education

• Health

• Beautification


Vacant Land Re-Use

Full Circle Fuels, Oberlin OH


Food Access

Huron Road Hospital, East Cleveland, OH


Employment

Stanard School, Cleveland, OH


Entrepreneurship

EcoVillage Produce, Cleveland, OH


Community Building

Berkeley Street Garden, Boston, MA


Learning & Education

Lots of Green, Youngstown, OH


Diet and Health

Vel’s Purple Oasis, Cleveland, OH


Beautification

The “Yarden”, Columbus, OH


Mental Health

Hitchcock Center for Women, Cleveland, OH


Business Development

Tunnel Vision Hoops, Cleveland, OH

Close


Stormwater Management

Alley Garden CoHousing, Vancouver, BC


Waste Re-Use

Lucky’s Cafe Gardens, Cleveland, BC


Art!

City Farm, Vancouver, BC


Fun!

George Jones Farm, Oberlin, OH


Urban Farming Today• Many historic strands to connect us to

historical trends in the past century

• Many modern and future trends connecting us to more long-term notions of “green and sustainable” cities in the post-cheap energy era

• 25% localization of food purchasing in NEO means 27,000 new green jobs, including many in cities


Types of Urban Farms

• Home garden-

• Community garden-

• Urban market garden

• Learning garden

• Social service garden-



• Home garden- personal consumption, sharing

• Community garden-

• Urban market garden

• Learning garden





• Community garden- personal consumption, donations

• Urban market garden-

• Learning garden






• Urban market garden- commercial sales

• Learning garden-







• Learning garden- education, research, learning








• Social service garden- mental health, job training


Trends in Urban Farming in Cleveland

• 1970-2005: Community gardens and city summer sprout program

• 2005-2009: Transition to market gardens growing food for income generation

• 2009-2010: Urban agriculture commons and more complex community partnerships







• Social service garden- mental health, job training


Where does your vision fit in?

• Place your vision on a sheet for one of the types of gardens. Is your garden a home garden, a community garden, a market garden, learning garden, or social service garden?


Case Studies• Intergeneration School Permaculture

Garden (Learning Garden)

• Strawbale Greenhouse at Vel’s Purple Oasis (Community Learning Garden with some marketing)

• Stanard School (Social service/employment)

• Ohio City Fresh Food Collaborative (mix of community, market, social service, and learning)


Local Food Value Chain

CommunityProduction

Urban MarketGardens

Rural Farms

Aggregation

Distribution

Processing

Markets

Eaters!

InformalEconomy

MarketEconomy

Infrastructure Consumption


Collaborative Networks

• How can you as a class organize a collaborative network to advance urban agriculture and local food systems in Akron?

• What is the primary asset that you bring to the table right know (land, knowledge, tools, markets, construction)?

• To learn more and stay in touch check out: www.NEOFoodWeb.org


http://www.NEOFoodWeb.org

http://www.NEOFoodWeb.org

Farming the City: Role of Urban Agriculture in Local Food Systems

Education

Transcript of Farming the City: Role of Urban Agriculture in Local Food Systems