Community Food Gardens

Erie Fresh Edible Greenhouse Garden

Juvenile Justice Center Edible Garden

Rockwell Edible Garden

Erie Fresh Edible Red Gables Garden

Video to Sandusky City Commission

Economy & Industry Urban Agriculture (2008)

I enjoy denial as much as the next person, but this isn’t rocket science: our kids will eventually have to make food differently.  Barbara Kingsolver — Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life

Scarecrows in Osborne Community Garden - 08′

Urban Agriculture is an unavoidable step for economic sovereignty, a different way for driven individuals to get use of vacant land,  a way to restore inactive industrial sites, unearth old gardens and revitalize neighborhoods.

In an article covering  Greensgrow activities in the urban areas of Philadelphia, Jon Hurdle, of the NY Times, discovered individuals breathing life into a broken industrial site with soil, seed and dedication. Their efforts effectively contribute to a profitable operation with increased annual sales. Their methods of utilizing abandoned structures increases “capital circulation“, which, in turn, increases the success of their local economy.

Financially, “approximately every $1 invested in a community garden plot yields $6 worth of vegetables.” (Brown and Bellows ); and now, with food prices topping the scale, a small food garden can offset the new overwhelming economic costs in energy, health and technology.

One poll, in response to Food Security, suggests an increase to human health from urban farming, “Philadelphia community gardeners listed recreation (21%), mental health (19%), physical health (17%), produce quality and nutrition (14%), spiritual reasons (10%), cost and convenience (7%), self-expression/self-fulfillment (7%) and other (5%) as reasons for community gardening.”

The same report points out the demographical differences developed in the late 20th and early 21st century: “As mentioned earlier, in the United States, 80 percent of the population lives in cities. This is in marked contrast to 100 years ago when 50 percent of Americans lived on farms or in small rural communities where they fed themselves with locally grown foods. More food is shipped from markets outside the U.S. than at anytime in history.”

Brown and Carter of Rutgers University and South Side Community Land Trust, reports that are food travels up to 3,000 miles before reaching a retailer. Modern global shipping technology, and food advertisements lead us to believe this food is fresh; as if it were grown right in the store we shop in. Rather, this produce is said to have taken nearly two weeks before hitting a grocery shelf. A result of this process is a loss of around 50% of food due to spoilage, according to Brown and Carter. More importantly, Erie County urban Farmers have the means to reverse this trend of shipping produce across the continent. When these products can be grown in our own backyards, or by the area Farmers, it is our right to demand them locally.

In other words, food obtained from area grocery retails has become less of a social tool and more of a commodity for trade. Why? Well, food, as indicated above, is something all of us know less and less about due to its traceability, and due to companies who create a decentralized infrastructure that the common consumer cannot translate. Therefore, we simply cannot place meaning to these products.

On the contrast, a food garden is a social atmosphere. Growing food can rebalance the broken communication, and solidarity of individuals, in our area neighborhoods.

Urban Agriculture, City Farms, Backyard Gardens and Community Gardens are all practices that associate meaningful relationships with our food products. They are energy sanctuaries for pragmatic people in the 21st century where consumers can knowingly discuss the traceability of a product.

Across the U.S., Urban Agriculture also plays a vital commercial role. In another report, Brown and Bellows discover “One third of the 2 million farms in the United States are located within metropolitan areas, and produce 35 percent of U.S. vegetables, fruit, livestock, poultry, and fish.

In Erie County, Ohio: one location offers the right for people to creatively express the practice of growing their own food. In Erie Metroparks, Osborne Community Garden (organized by the Men’s Garden Club of Erie County) offers, roughly, at no charge  – pesticide free — 20′ – 12′ spaces, where unique relationships from vegetables sprout side-by-side. We watched 73-year-old Les Shahan (former tree trimmer and line clearer) and 4-year-old granddaughter — Kilyn Shahan — grab vegetables for dinner, and investigate new blossoms. This is Mr. Shahan’s first year in the Osborne Community Garden, a result from selling his home where he held a garden for most of his life, and moving into a condominium development. When asking Mr. Shahan why he gardened, he responded, “I enjoy watching things grow,” and I — for one — share in this enjoyment. Mr. Shahan Grows: onions, tomatoes, zucchini, summer squash, beans and more.

Around Erie County, other ‘community’ based operations include: Riehm Farms CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), CIFT (The Center for Innovative Food Technology) — that connects producers to suppliers and restaurants – and Sandusky Farmer’s Market. All can be helpful for those interested in growing in the following year.Mulberry Creek Herb Farm is offering courses from April to May on Saturday mornings for those interested in developing urban gardens.

To join a CSA in Erie County, OH – email: eriefresh@gmail.com | Read Brochure | (note: this brochure is only a draft. The final brochure and cost will be made available at the beginning of May.)

Reference

http://www.eisc.org/

http://www.funacres.net/default.asp?area=cornMaze

http://www.spinfarming.com/

http://www.foodsecurity.org/PrimerCFSCUAC.pdf

http://www.foodsecurity.org/UAHealthFactsheet.pdf

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/20/us/20philadelphia.html?_r=1&scp=3&sq=green%20growers%20urban%20farming&st=cse&oref=slogin

Complimentary Article: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/20/us/20philadelphia.html?_r=1&scp=3&sq=green%20growers%20urban%20farming&st=cse&oref=slogin

Archive: http://www.foodsecurity.org/UAHealthFactsheet.pdf

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