As a person who cares about where my food comes from, I’ve been interested in the idea of urban farming and growing my own garden for quite some time. I think it would be so fulfilling to grow my own produce, and satisfying, knowing what type of pesticides are used and what happens to my produce from birth to my plate.
What is Urban Farming AKA Urban Agriculture?
Urban farming is the practice of cultivating produce and distributing it for local areas, typically businesses such as local restaurants. Many cities use this practice because it can tend to be cheaper for some businesses than large-scale distribution (usually if the urban farm is yours), and the food quality is much better. The Community Food Security Coalition defines Urban Agriculture as, “culturally acceptable, nutritionally adequate food through local, non-emergency sources at all times.”
How Does Urban Farming Affect a City?
Urban farming has grown incredibly in larger cities in the last few years, but it is far from a new concept. However, the Clean Eating campaign is growing and more people want to be sure the produce they buy isn’t full of pesticides or growth hormones that could damage their health in the long term.
People are starting to realize that food benefits them so much more than just by keeping their stomach from growling at awkward times during the day. Unfortunately, there are some drawbacks to urban farming.
I’ve seen it in my own city, where cost of living skyrockets in the areas where these urban farms are being built. Gentrification is happening all over, as is typical in numerous large cities, but especially in top-rated technology cities like Austin and San Francisco. Low-income areas are becoming littered with young startups and green-living Millennials who are buying the superior land plots for their farms, forcing the lower income community out of the area.
Underground Urban Farming
Their farm is located underground (hence the name) in a sealed room where a hydroponic system allows the produce to grow without soil. It sounds almost like something out of a Blake Crouch novel, maybe something they’d have in Wayward Pines.
Growing Underground boasts that their crops can be grown year round due to the advantage of having total control over their growth environment, meaning that these plants are unaffected by negative weather conditions and seasonal changes, and are pesticide-free. Their main goals are to become carbon neutral, to reduce the need to import crops, and to reduce the mileage from food retailers to consumers.
According to their website, they promise “farm to fork in under 4 hours.” Their plan is to begin their distribution for restaurants and work their way into your kitchen at home. It would be a great accomplishment if other large cities could implement this type of underground urban farming system.
These types of farms could be a game changer in the agricultural industry, providing ways for seasonal fruits and veggies to be farmed year round, and granting the consumer access to cleaner and fresher fruits that will last longer in their homes. I think it’s a great idea, and while it might be a little unrealistic to think that every large city could have such an underground sustainable farm, we can definitely take notes on their practices and technologies. Maybe they have just opened the door for other cities to start production on a similar farming system that they could benefit from.
So, maybe you’re not a farm plant. Doesn’t mean you can’t benefit from some light. Try Sun Lifelight:
How Underground Urban Farming is Aiding the Healthy Eating Movement
No comments:
Post a Comment