There has been a rise in people using small rooftops, stacked pots, and any space they have to grow crops. There has also been an increase in people taking part in community farming projects, buying larger plots of land, producing much more.
But why is urban farming the coolest, and what is the real value?
Photo by Anaya Katlego on Unsplash
Shared benefits
There is a social benefit to community farming. When multiple people with a similar interest come together, big things can happen. With farming, many unused plots of earth will be commandeered (usually legally) and used to great effect. Urban farming can and does improve neighborhoods. The social bonds between local residents who a) tend to the farm and b) buy or trade with can be very strong.
Feed the few
Urban farms don’t usually have access to large plots; they don’t have use of tractors, GPI pumps, and other large machinery. Or the funds required to grow food for the masses. But they do have enough to feed the few, which makes the products more limited edition than ever. The food grows within those communities and goes back into the community, which is a really good thing. In these resourceful settings, farmers often find ways to make the job more efficient with a rake attachment, seamlessly integrating technology with traditional farming practices to maximize yield and sustainability.
While there aren’t nationwide food shortages for many countries, there are local food issues and poverty. Smaller farms can help to alleviate much of the struggles that people are going through by providing them with seasonal fresh fruits and vegetables.
Not everyone has access to fresh, healthy food, and community farming projects can really help.
Appreciation for food
When you can head to the grocery store and pick up bags of the food that you want, you might not always have an appreciation for where it comes from and how much work it took to grow. Or how much the meat took to raise and then prepare.
When you grow your own food, even the smallest carrot will have more meaning for you—learning the process to grow large, healthy broccoli, sweet apples, and even some more exotic flavors too.
The more conscious people are about where their food comes from, what is it in, and the work that goes into the more of that is fed down to children too—improving how people feel about food for years to come.
Natural
In order to give us huge amounts of out-of-season fruits and vegetables, many producers will use a lot of pesticides and growth hormones. Not only that but the natural-looking fruits and vegetables often don’t make it to the shelf because we are so used to seeing perfection. This contributes to food waste on a large scale too.
Commuting gardens and farming projects don’t often use chemicals in the growing process and grow fruits and vegetables in the right season. Meaning that the whole process is more natural.
Community farming is not only great for people. Community farming can help increase the value of the houses locally, improve the look of the local area, and help to provide local residents with fresh and healthy options.