PDA

View Full Version : Went to farmers market today



creaker
6-18-11, 12:10pm
And came across an interesting model for farming - some people in a greater Boston community wanted to grow food could not find local land to farm, so they started farming in people's yards.

I'm not sure what deals were worked out between the growers and the land owners, but they are generating enough to sell at market.

I also have to say the farmer's market (I remembered when they started) in my neighborhood (Roslindale) has really blossomed. It's busy, full of real local farm stuff (in the beginning there wasn't much), and has become a very positive fixture in the community.

kib
6-18-11, 12:27pm
How neat! Too bad we have so much land here, and it's so awful for growing anything. I would love it if someone else would care for the veggies, I'd even be willing to lend a hand, but being a solo operation even for our family is so daunting. Your yard-farms sound like a perfect answer.

Bastelmutti
6-18-11, 1:24pm
I went to one today, too! Now I need to figure out what to make with garlic scapes.

ApatheticNoMore
6-18-11, 2:39pm
some people in a greater Boston community wanted to grow food could not find local land to farm, so they started farming in people's yards.

You occasionally need to be careful for toxins in major cities but it's great that ideas like this are spreading.


I'm not sure what deals were worked out between the growers and the land owners, but they are generating enough to sell at market.

Could be infinite I imagine: a percentage of the profits - if profit is being made, barter, a percentage of the food harvested, or just sheer generosity and a free gift if your land isn't being used anyway (I have met people who felt this way about their yards).

mattj
6-18-11, 10:27pm
I read about this practice in the book Food Not Lawns awhile ago... very inspiring. Our farmer's market doesn't start until July... can't wait!

fidgiegirl
6-18-11, 11:23pm
I hear Detroit is doing a lot of things like this. Here is a big-scale operation that sounds interesting: http://www.hantzfarmsdetroit.com/

Really neat. It's cool to hear people taking control of what they want.

When I was super into gardening books I read an argument in one of them for why we should all maximize our urban space - to preserve wilderness space beyond our cities. So if we grew food on all the land that is lawns and roadsides and under-used parking lots, etc., think of how we could let some farm land go back to wild. Interesting idea.

redfox
6-18-11, 11:59pm
It's a national movement called by some the Urban Homesteading movement. I call mine Seattle Smallhold.
Here are some of my fav links:

http://www.rootsimple.com/2011/02/urban-homesteading.html
http://www.thecrunchychicken.com/
http://www.iuhoakland.com/

cdttmm
6-19-11, 8:52am
In NYC people are taking advantage of rooftops to farm. I'm involved with what is currently the world's largest rooftop farm http://www.brooklyngrangefarm.com/. We'll be more than doubling the size next year thanks to a grant from the NYC Dept. of Enviromental Protection.

Jemima
6-19-11, 9:52pm
I hear Detroit is doing a lot of things like this. Here is a big-scale operation that sounds interesting: http://www.hantzfarmsdetroit.com/



What a great idea! I'd love to see this take hold in Philadelphia where formerly nice neighborhoods are now dotted with hideous, abandoned factories and houses that have been vacant so long they sometimes collapse. It would give the younger people something to do aside from drugs, forming gangs, and applying graffiti. I live in a far-flung suburb, but when I take the train to work this area of the city just makes me shudder.

redfox
6-19-11, 10:43pm
In NYC people are taking advantage of rooftops to farm. I'm involved with what is currently the world's largest rooftop farm http://www.brooklyngrangefarm.com/. We'll be more than doubling the size next year thanks to a grant from the NYC Dept. of Enviromental Protection.

Uber cool!