Guelph and Kansas City get food forests

On Saturday temperatures hovering at freezing couldn't keep people away from the first round of planting for Guelph, Ontario's first food forest. It was cold, but worth it...

  
The concept is sweeping North America and it says a lot when cities with 125,000 residents dedicate 27,000 square feet and join the movement.

Congrats to Kansas City as well, a 10,000 square foot food forest is being planted there, the second in the city. One question for the permaculture enthusiasts out there. Any thoughts for how big a permaculture garden has to be in order to be labelled a food forest? Does it matter? An article from February says there are 50, perhaps 100, food forests in North America. I've only heard of about 25, quick, someone make a list!

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/living/home-garden/article76738647.html#storylink=cpy

Jackson, Mississippi plants a food forest

The biggest story of the past two weeks details the world's biggest aerogation project to date. When installed in 2017, this 4 square meter living wall system in London will be able to purifying 2 million liters of air every day!

-If you read nothing else, check out this story on CHIRPS (Climate Hazards Group InfraRed Precipitation With Station data). By managing food use and distribution better, we could reduce 14% of emission produced by agriculture in 2050. It blends data from weather stations and satellites, from the past three decades, to hopefully give farmers an idea of how the current growing season might look. An early warning system, so to speak.

-Add Jackson, Mississippi to the list of communities with food forests!

-Another fantastic story, this time from Indiana, about how aquaponics is helping employ those with social needs and give back to the community.

-Tucson, Arizona has been named a City of Gastronomy in the Creative Cities Network by UNESCO. It's the first American or Canadian city to get this award and joins a list of 116 cities in 54 countries. Fun fact, Tucson has had urban agriculture, in some form, for over 4,100 years!!!

-Frustrating news for urban agriculturists from Moscow, because the 150 year old Timiryazev Agricultural Academy, will be moved and the 100 hectares of land used constantly for education and experimentation at the agrarian university will now become residential buildings. Some experiments have been ongoing for over a century!

The second design meeting for Guelph's food forest

Last night was design meeting #2 for the Guelph food forest. A nice turnout despite the driving rain, gale force winds and temps flirting with freezing. Three designs were created composites of the original six designs (picture number four). Participants split into groups to discuss what they liked and did not like about the designs and which one they like the most. It seemed to be a tie between picture number 1 and 3.
What's your opinion?
The next meeting should be after the new year, stay tuned!

A food forest begins to sprout in Guelph

Ithaca Permaculture Park, River Valley Food Forest, Greenbelt Food Forest in Maryland and most famously, Beacon Food Forest in Seattle, Washington food forests are already on the map. Now Guelph (Ontario) is in the process of building one. I was lucky enough to be part of the kick off.
It's tentatively called Hanlon Creek Community Food Forest. Six designs were produced by breakout groups, last Thursday, and the common elements will be combined into three workable designs for further elaboration in a couple of weeks. 
This is very exciting for a town of roughly 125,000. Your town can do it too! 

-Some big news out of Ireland as a new green roof bylaw in a suburb of Dublin, Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County is set to take effect in a few months. It covers new building construction starting January 1!

-Gigantic retailer Target is teaming up with MIT to explore how they can support urban agriculture.

-There's so much happening in Detroit, lots of good stuff gets underreported. A $15 million dollar, 60 acre, urban agriculture project was announced which will hopefully employ up to 125 ex-offenders and recovering addicts.

-A fantastic permaculture program is taking off in Ethiopia. 450 hectares in total may be transformed.

-Here's a handy dandy guide to growing indoor plants, what kinds of containers you can use and which plants work best in them.

Food forest community meeting in Guelph - October 22

If you're in or around the area and interested in becoming part of the process, on October 22 from 7-9 pm stop by Jean Little Public School. Led by the City of Guelph and with the support of the immediate local community around the site (University Village Park) and the broader Guelph community, this is a unique opportunity! There are perhaps only 10 food forests in North America  and very few in small communities, be there or be square!

President Obama releases comprehensive plan to save American bees

Kibera, Kenya has one of the largest slums in the world. To combat food insecurity the National Youth Service (NYS), a government agency that promotes youth affairs through the ministry of devolution and planning, has begun distributing a series of sacks that are filled with manure, soil and small stones to create simple, and cheap, urban gardens.

-New Jersey has signed into law that the third week in March is now, statewide, know as “Horticultural Therapy Week”.

-D.C. wants more green roofs to ameliorate their overburdened stormwater system and now, they will certainly get more! Speaking of D.C., on the federal side, President Obama has created the first "National Strategy to Promote the Health of Honey Bees and Other Pollinators". As everyone is aware by now, this is definitely needed!

-Historically farmers turned to agricultural colleges, usually in rural areas because that's where the farms are, for assistance on questions like "What crops can I plant (and how) to diversify?" and "Where can I have my soil tested?" With the rise in urban agriculture, perhaps urban operations need similar, expert help...which is local?
The Sustainable Cities Collective is trying to chip in by offering a free webinar on how to start and run a sustainable urban agriculture company.  They were incredibly thorough!

-Costa Rica is now the most recent nation to give aquaponics a whirl.

-And lastly for today is NPR tackling food forests. Look at all the comments!

Agriburbia in Missouri

If you know foraging, you know Wildman Steve Brill. Rarely do we get background on his life, here's a little bit. And check out his old school website!

-Remember that urban farm in Vancouver which shut down and then was taken over by a company to possibly grow marijuana?  Business in Vancouver has an update on the situation

-Agriburbia hits Columbia, Missouri with the construction of a new housing development with an urban farm as it's focal point.

-If you're an urban farmer in Baltimore, rejoice, there's a new 90% property tax break for urban farmers!

-Sydney, Australia is getting an urban farm. The Daily Telegraph doesn't like that at all!

Urban foraging to mitigate hunger?

February is here and already there's been an uptick in GILA articles. Spring is around the corner...

A nice little lobbying piece in Crain's New York for the creation and protection of the greater Tri-State's regional "foodshed" in New York's Hudson valley. Every article trumpeting its importance raises the issue and awareness. Tying it to the safeguarding of water is genius!

-Other welcome developments, small cities considering green roof legislation and its applicability as when calculating "permeable surface" percentages.

-If you have a few moments, check out this Chris Reed interview about landscape architecture and the future of urban life.

-Grist poses a great question. "What if we connected the people most in need of healthy food with the expensive, nutrient-dense greens that just happen to be growing between the cracks in their driveways?" That sounds a lot better than "Can urban foraging actually feed poor people?"

-Next month Abu Dhabi will have a motley crew attending the two day 2015 Global Forum for Innovations in Agriculture (GFIA). Over 300 next generation agricultural solutions will be on display.

-The National College of Natural Medicine in Portland, Oregon is outlining a 20 year Master Plan for it's five-acre campus. It includes a food forest and aquaponic system. Looks like they already have a healing garden.

-Last, but not least for today is a paper assessing urban and peri-urban agriculture, particularly in Asia. A fascinating read, it has several great statistics. Like the fact that "70 percent of households in developing countries are engaged in some kind of farming and food production"!

ianScientist (Jan. 20, 2015) - By Dilrukshi Handunnetti - Irrigated urban croplands can improve global food security and play a larger role in densely populated and increasingly water scarce regions like South Asia, says a new study. Pay Drechsel, scientist at the Colombo-based International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and co-author of the study, published in Environmental Research Letters in November, says urban and peri-urban agricultural areas worldwide are larger than the total area under rice cultivation in South Asia. The paper recognizes a global trend of food production taking on an increasingly urban flavor, with an estimated 456 million hectares—an area about the size of the European Union—being under cultivation in and around the world’s cities, challenging the rural orientation of most agriculture research and development work. South and East Asia comprise 49 percent of urban irrigated croplands and 56 percent of the non-urban irrigated areas globally. These two regions account for 26 percent of urban rain-fed croplands and 22 percent of non-urban rain-fed croplands. Drechsel says, “The study documents that 70 percent of households in developing countries are engaged in some kind of farming and food production and challenges the notion that food production, far from being a rural phenomenon, is commonly occurring within cities.” The study says irrigation is more common on city farms than rural farms, intensifying water demands in sprawling urban zones. It further highlights how urban agriculture—particularly in South Asia—contributes to food security, puts marginal lands into productive use, assists in flood control, increases income opportunities for the poor and strengthens urban biodiversity. Drechsel says India is a good example of an urbanizing country which is already more peri-urban than rural. “Feeding the cities with food and water is changing the Indian agricultural landscape. There is more competition between urban and rural needs for water and there are strong urban markets but also significant pollution. Urban and peri-urban farming is operating in this interface,” he says. The study shows that three out of four cities surveyed in the global South were using wastewater for irrigation, predominately for local market sale and livelihood support. “For example, downstream of Hyderabad in India, the only available water for irrigation is the city’s wastewater which is only partially treated and used for the production of fodder grass and rice, supporting about 50,000 people.” A more recent study shows that in India, the conscious and safe use of wastewater could help irrigate an additional 1.1 million hectares. In Sri Lanka, Drechsel says, urbanization is most obvious in the island’s Western Province where urban farming is also receiving policy recognition as a means to support subsistence needs or as additional income source, mostly for women. The article can be found at: Thebo et al. (2014) Global Assessment of Urban and Peri-urban Agriculture: Irrigated and Rainfed Croplands. ----- Source: SciDev.Net. Disclaimer: This article does not necessarily reflect the views of AsianScientist or its staff. Tags: Agriculture, India, South Asia, Sri Lanka, Urban Development, Water Resource Management RELATED STORIES FROM ASIAN SCIENTIST A Word To Young Physicists In Asia In a wide-ranging interview, Sir Anthony Leggett shares his thoughts on science education and the prospects for young physicists in Asia. Air Pollution Hits Crops More Than Climate Change Black carbon and ozone may have caused India more than US$5 billion in losses to wheat and rice crops. The Nature And Scope Of India’s Faculty Shortages According to Pushkar, the government of India is not fully cognizant of the nature and scope of faculty shortages in the country. Climate Change Threatens India’s Native Plants Even moderate climate change could have an impact on the native biodiversity of India, home to 11 percent of the world’s flora. Asia’s Invisible Women Farmers Technology support for farmers should address the needs of women, who provide more than half of the agricultural labor input in Asia. Addressing India’s Scientific Brain Drain India has taken measures to increase the pay of young researchers, but experts say this may not be enough to beat brain drain. More Stories Subscribe to our newsletter ADVERTISEMENT Subscribe to our newsletter Read more from Asian Scientist Magazine at: http://www.asianscientist.com/2015/01/features/farming-town/

 

The next city to get a food forest is...Charlestown!!!

Green infrastructure professionals should note, according to Portland urban planning experts, that if you want a successful park, well-attended and appreciated, your planning should cater to women.

-Alterrus systems is gone, but their loss is Affinor Growers gain. Although they've focused on marijuana production until now, they see this as a great opportunity and gateway into the vertical growing sector.

-Caribbean countries are not just interested in starting aquaponics projects, they're interested hosting conferences too!

-Speaking of aquaponics, 2014 has unleashed a number of Kickstarter campaigns for home systems, some beautiful, some functional. Some both. Backed by industry leaders The Aquaponic Source, Oh-Uchi-Saien and Grants for Plants, this new system will get a lot of buzz and hsould be worth the money.

-Charlestown, West Virginia, is the next city to get an urban orchard/food forest. Who would've thought that???!!!

Monsoon rooftop gardens + app to help Californians save water

-I definitely want to see more articles like this! Here's how to set up a succesful roof garden for monsoon veggies like sheem and borboti!

-Both Montreal and Charlottetown (P.E.I.) are turning to green roofs, Montreal is looking to streamline their approval process and Charlottetown is investigating green roof legislation. 
 
-A few weeks ago I wondered whether a place like Syria should be using more temporary agricultural systems  than rooftop farming, it just didn't seem feasible to dodge bullets while tending to rooftop gardens. It seems aquaponics systems are now being used in Gaza.

-I'm not sure if vertical farming can work, but my takeaway from this article is that the business is as much about operations (in particular, software) as it is about offerings.

fighting in Gaza has forced farmers and herders to abandon their lands and has paralysed fishing activities, bringing local food production to a halt and severely affecting livelihoods, the United Nation’s FAO warned last week.
Recovery in the agriculture sector, once hostilities cease, will require significant external assistance over the long term. And this is where we see opportunities for alternative agriculture systems for smallholder farmers and families. Aquaponics and hydroponics can be done on rooftops, and it is especially meaningful in areas where water is severely limited.
The FAO estimates that the recent fighting has resulted in substantial direct damage to Gaza’s 17,000 hectares of croplands as well as much of its agricultural infrastructure, including greenhouses, irrigation systems, animal farms, fodder stocks and fishing boats.
According to the latest update Gaza has lost half of its population of poultry birds (broilers and layers) either due to direct hits on their shelters or lack of water, feed or care resulting from access restrictions.
Around 64,000 head of small ruminants are in need of animal feed and water in order to avoid further animal deaths and the additional erosion of herders’ productive assets.
Meanwhile losses by Gaza’s fishing sector so far are estimated at 234.6 tonnes over the period 9 July – 10 August –equivalent to 9.3 percent of local fishers’ yearly catch.
“Up to now, ongoing military operations have prevented detailed assessments of damages to agriculture from being completed,” said Ciro Fiorillo, head of FAO’s office in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
The Gaza Strip imports most of what it eats — however locally produced food represents an important source of nutritious and affordable food, and some 28,600 people in Gaza rely on farming (19,000 people), livestock raising (6,000) and fishing (3,600) for their livelihoods.
“Under the most recent ceasefire many farmers and herders are now able to access their lands, however resumption of food production faces serious obstacles given the damages sustained and shortages of water, electricity, inputs and financial resources, as well as ongoing uncertainty regarding the possible resumption of military activities”, said Fiorillo.

- See more at: http://www.greenprophet.com/2014/08/why-gaza-needs-hydroponics-and-aquaponics-for-food-security/#sthash.IciZDFYI.dpuf

-How can food transform healthcare for both the patient and provider? Will Allen will speak at the Transform symposium to let us know.

-What some thought was impossible has come to pass, Canadian Pacific has torn up some community garden plots over 15 years old. Naturally Vancouverites are not happy.

-Chicago's urban fruit orchard featured rare and unusual apples has gone quickly from concept to reality and is now a go.

-Climate Central has published a study which states 57 of the 60 largest cities in the U.S. have significantly higher temperatures than adjacent rural areas. In some cases those discrepancies had reached a difference in daytime highs by 27 degrees Fahrenheit. Yikes! Denver is going to need more green roofs and green infrastructure...soon! Florida has done something quite interesting, they've purchased some land to close the gap in their greenway and trail system so now it looks like you can travel from west coast to east. What do you think, Denver? A good idea?

-Despite a three year drought, one of the worst in 500 years (what!!!), Californians still aren't saving water. Hopefully an app, will raise awareness...even a little!

Panasonic enters the vertical farm race + green infrastructure's many faces

Singapore may be the global leader in vertical farming companies.  With precious little land available for farming, they've had to look up or continue importing their food. Panasonic has jumped into the fray, hoping to add "agriculture to their potential growth portfolio." Could this be the start of something big in the industry?

-A county government in Kenya has recruited a private company to set-up aquaponics projects in five cities to increase jobs for youth and food production.

-Solutions for Change has earned itself even more cash, $1 million dollars, to expand aquaponics program to provide 1.6 million servings of greens. These folks know how to raise cash!!!

-Talk about comprehensive, take a look at this article (on all of the links!!!) about the strategies, tools and role parks (especially those in and near Los Angeles) can play in combating climate change.

-Utne magazine proposes that another form of green infrastructure, trails, are the new town square and farms have the potential to be agritourism destinations.  

-Tacoma's food forest is 6 months old. Here's an update on how it is coming along. I love how the adults are keenly focused on the trees, the baby is staring right into the camera.

Gila words of the week: Urban Fruit Trail & Underground Rooftop Garden

Ahhh...I know I have your attention now! We're going to end the week on a very, very high note.

-What is an underground rooftop garden you ask? Have a look...

Art students from Savannah, Georgia are exploring what it is like to live in a micro house. Their choice of pop-up locations with all of the amenities...the campus parking garage. Have a look.
Their ephemeral pad even includes container gardens.

-There's a bit of flexing underway in Vancouver as Canadian Pacific Railways is looking to once again use railway lines last touched 13 years ago. This could mean the destruction of 10% of Vancouver's urban gardens, many surround the formerly defunct line. The City of Vancouver is pushing back...just a touch. And of course community gardeners are not that pleased. This could take a while to play out, let's see what happens.

-Historically why have landscape architects resisted designing productive landscapes? One blogger  believes it has to do with Management, Liability and Aesthetics. Hey, wait a second, that would spell MLA...the acronym for Master of Landscape Architecture. Weird!!!

-A scaled down, more structured artistic spin of a food forest is being planned in Los Angeles. They have coined it the urban fruit trail.

-Rooftop gardens have been part of the New York landscape since the early 1880s. Take a trip back in time to find out why they became all the rage.

-Charleston, South Carolina and Waltham, Massachusetts are planning huge eco-districts. Waltham is setting aside $20 million dollars for a 58 acre agriculture and community farming hub. Charleston is designating 865 acres (!) as an eco-district, unfortunately what that means is unclear. Eco measures, including green roofs, seem to be "voluntary". Let's hope for the best!

-And last but not least for the week. Plants can hear, according to researchers from the University of Missouri. Yes, you heard that right.

The giant urban greenhouse just keep coming

It has become quite clear that Bright Farms has its eye on establishing itself in urban locations across the US, not just in one particular region. They are entrenched in the Midwest and have their first building in DC going up soon.

-I need to confirm this, but Randolph Community College in North Carolina may be the first school in the South to run an aquaponics course.
 

-In Malaysia the Agriculture minister believes about 20 percent of city dwellers will take up urban agriculture with the aid of technological advances and government help in the form of seedlings, fertilizer, training and guidance.

-We've seen how aquaponics is sweeping the Caribbean, the same can be said for permaculture in general.

-Food forests have begun to spring up across North America. An off shoot of this phenomenon? How about an urban rare apple orchard.

rld face hunger everyday and Randolph Community College is teaching its students a new and sustainable way to combat starvation.
Randolph Community College science lab facilitator Kevin Jones is using a fish tank and plants to teach students a new way of sustainable farming known as Aquaponics: a combination of breeding fish and using their waste to feed plants without soil.
"It's a re-circulating system,” Jones said.
The idea behindthe system is to create an automated system so growers can focus more on harvesting and less time on maintenance.
“You don't need a lot of land. You don't need soil, there's no fertilizer, no pesticides. [It is] more natural, it uses 10 percent less water than a traditional farm would,” Jones said.
The World Food Programme said about 840 million people worldwide don't have enough food to eat.
“There are those who are using this right now on mission projects such as Haiti. There are medical missions that try to establish sustainable food sources for communities in third world countries," Jones said.
Sophomore biology major Joseph Vanbencoten said Aquaponics should reach beyond the classroom.
"It's not just a greenhouse for the school, give a basis for people to do out in the own world, to help do a sustaining garden and they can produce their own food, be organic, healthy,” said Vanbencoten.
It is a farming practice which may change how people around the world grow and collect their food.
To get started, people only need a small aquarium, some gold fish, and just a few plants.
- See more at: http://centralnc.twcnews.com/content/news/triad/707921/randolph-community-college-teaches-sustainable-farming#sthash.f2MDJYr2.dpuf

rld face hunger everyday and Randolph Community College is teaching its students a new and sustainable way to combat starvation.
Randolph Community College science lab facilitator Kevin Jones is using a fish tank and plants to teach students a new way of sustainable farming known as Aquaponics: a combination of breeding fish and using their waste to feed plants without soil.
"It's a re-circulating system,” Jones said.
The idea behindthe system is to create an automated system so growers can focus more on harvesting and less time on maintenance.
“You don't need a lot of land. You don't need soil, there's no fertilizer, no pesticides. [It is] more natural, it uses 10 percent less water than a traditional farm would,” Jones said.
The World Food Programme said about 840 million people worldwide don't have enough food to eat.
“There are those who are using this right now on mission projects such as Haiti. There are medical missions that try to establish sustainable food sources for communities in third world countries," Jones said.
Sophomore biology major Joseph Vanbencoten said Aquaponics should reach beyond the classroom.
"It's not just a greenhouse for the school, give a basis for people to do out in the own world, to help do a sustaining garden and they can produce their own food, be organic, healthy,” said Vanbencoten.
It is a farming practice which may change how people around the world grow and collect their food.
To get started, people only need a small aquarium, some gold fish, and just a few plants.
- See more at: http://centralnc.twcnews.com/content/news/triad/707921/randolph-community-college-teaches-sustainable-farming#sthash.f2MDJYr2.dpuf

-This is not about living architecture at all, but I wanted to pass along a fantastic opportunity for those living in Canada. This summer youth can spend time in Ghana, Tanzania, or Costa Rica on a Turtle Conservation Project and have their airfare taken care of!

Is a 2 acre food forest coming to Austin, Texas?

Some dedicated citizens are making a push in Austin, Texas for their very own food forest.
Inspired by Seattle's food forest planted almost exactly 2 years ago, Geoff Lawton shows you what they ultimately hope to achieve:

Just out of curiosity, how long before we can all call Austin, Texas just "Austin". It is the capital of Texas and waaay bigger than any other Austin on the planet.

Small scale permaculture farm in Houston

Straight from the digital realm is a  45 minute plus visit to a 1/4 permaculture farm in Houston, Texas. Over 150 fruit trees on this tiny parcel of land!

The third edible forest + urban agriculture drops hunger by 50% in Venezuela

The USA has two food forests already (in Seattle and Holyoke, Mass -- 90 minutes from Boston). A third is being planned for tiny (less than 4,000 strong!) Basalt, Colorado, about three hours west of Denver.

-Milwaukee’s Home Gr/own initiative is bringing together 10 to 20 different food and farming related programs to boost employment and utilize vacant lots. What’s even better is this is coordinated through the mayor’s office!

-Venezuela has reduced it’s number of hungry people by over 50%, according to the United Nations World Food and Agriculture Organisation. They hope to double their 39,000 urban gardens within a year!

"Reverse" farming + the first American public food forest

-Over the years urban has almost become synonymous with concrete, tar and glass. Stormwater, often consider by some to be a necessary evil of built environment, is being treated in some ingenious ways across North America. On a smaller scale as functional art and now, on a larger scale in Los Angeles, incorporated into a park and wetland.

-In major urban centers city officials are finding other ways to use public lands to get people involved in enjoying their community. Seattle is the first to open an edible landscape and community park. Yes, a seven acre permaculture food forest open to all and space for community workshops as well.
And why not, if you can, let someone pick a tomato while waiting for the bus.

So you're done foraging for the day and your refrigerator is already full. Which things absolutely have to go in the fridge and which don't? Although refrigeration technology goes back almost 900 years, humans have been storing things without it for much longer than that. There's a ton to know, and contribute to, the unrefrigeration movement.

-I just made that up, "unrefrigeration", as I did "reverse farming". But, I am not really sure what to call it when you're from the fungal kingdom (traditionally known as a "lower life form") and using species from more highly evolved kingdoms, plants and animals, to bring you to food and even raise food for you.

My New Year's resolution...no G.L.A.R.E.! (Gratuitous Living Architecture Representations Ever!)

Are we already a week in? If so, let's get to it.

First off, I have one resolution. I've shied away from taking a true stand in the past, but this year I resolve to not posting eye-popping living architecture conceptional drawings or whimsical green roof or green wall renderings, found pervasively online. This is the year of No G.L.A.R.E! Who knows how many of these projects ever get built. And in some cases, I hate to say it, there are more cost effective solutions. In addition, I should be supporting and highlighting the people who actually get stuff done. And there are lots of people doing small things without much fanfare. Here's to you...

On to what's new and what's new to me.

-If you're looking for tasty ways to make interesting dishes from foraged foods, Hunger and Thirst is a nice place to start.

-Can genetic engineering be used for good? By the way, click through to Conservation magazine and check out the other articles. I won't ruin the surprise by telling you any more!!!

-This story has been making the rounds, but I forgot to post about it...the EPA's attitude toward rigorous examination of that Bayer clothianidin study is infuriating. But what's even scarier is that it's not "the EPA", there aren't tens of people at fault, but power lies in the hands of a few people to review something and a whole continent can be affected. Or maybe I should be upset at Bayer?

-So I'm not feeling so great, but can still enjoy Geoff Lawton taking us on a food forest tour 300 years in the making. What's better than that? A 2,000 year old food forest in Morocco!