Fearless forecast for 2015!

A brand new year is upon us and here's what I think is on the horizon!

1) I think aquaponics will cool down a bit. Why's that? There has been so much activity, so many huge projects have been announced, that people will just get down to business and start doing the work.

2) With the rise of the sharing economy and urban agriculture, you'll see more policy changes to allow urban and maybe even some suburban agriculture and more sharing between municipalities on how to get it done.

3) The second half of last year it didn't see that many big urban agriculture projects were coming down the pike. So I think that means early this year we'll some impressive stuff is in the works.

4) Has anyone noticed that permaculture was all the rage a couple of years ago and now, very little is said about it? I think the permaculture is so huge and all-encompassing, practioners and participants started talking about and focusing on the smaller tenants.

5) Singapore will continue to lead the charge in vertical gardening experimentation and commercialization.

6) With great swaths of the USA under some level of drought pressure, rainwater harvesting (especially grey water) will enjoy a tremendous year. Maybe there will even be a huge project which focuses on these new technologies!
Combining 5 and 6 a bit, there are those who have said urban agriculture cannot supply most of our food. I'm not sure if they are right, but what happens if the California drought continues? Will people have to start growing more food at home? Or will produce begin to trickle in from other countries? Like Singapore?

Public parks with private poppy

As you know New York's Highline was the catalyst behind big changes on the westside of Manhattan. More changes are coming down the pike with a new park. But is that a good thing? Sponsored by private money, what is private wealth's role in remaking public spaces?

-This fall was the first time MillionTreesNYC free tree giveaway featured exclusively edible fruit trees, in total 4,500 were claimed!

-Since the spring residents of a retirement facility, just outside of Chicago, have grown vegetables on their rooftop hydroponic facility for use in their kitchen and others kitchens across the city. This is the first of it's kind, I believe.

-If you'd like to peer into the life of one horticultural therapist practicing in New Jersey, check out this blog. I've linked to the latest posting in the past, she periodically updates it with interesting anecdotes.

-An Emory College student has launced a vineyard to study the American starvine, a threatened native plant which may have tremendous medicinal benefits.

-Earlier in the year I wrote about Brightfarms opening a urban farm in DC, it will be one of the biggest in the USA. Make that, it would have been. The site is so contaminated, they make walk away from the project and $700,000 already invested. A recent paper highlighted the problem in Buffalo and New York City.

2015 - International Year of Soil

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has declared 2015 to be International Year of Soil. Have a look to see how you can take an active promotion role.

-2015 may also be a big year for a couple of other organizations. Here's some great video of a trip to EnerGaia, the folks farming spirulina in Bangkok.

-Plant-e has expanded their "power plant" trials, where they generate electricity from plant roots. They hope, one day, to get enough power from 120 square meters of roof space to power an average Dutch home.

Season's Greetings - 2014

This Christmas - Donny Hathaway
Miracle - Matisyahu
How do you spell Channukkahh - The LeeVees
Patapan - King's Singers

Permaculture design presentations

Ever wonder what it's like to take a permaculture design course? Or, what you should produce at the end of it? Check out some of the presentations from a recent course in New Hampshire.