URBAN FARMS-A PASSING FANCY OR ENDURING PHENOMENON?

It was only a couple of years ago there were exciting developments in some of the most congested cities like New York where the terrace gardening was practiced with official encouragement from city fathers, basically for generating local produce for local consumption. Many corporate industrial bodies provided support to this phenomenon both as a social experiment as well as for the well being of their employees. The urge to involve in agriculture spread to suburban settlements with the residents taking part in week end gardening in vacant places nearby. While the experience of hands on involvement in the logistics of cultivation can be very stimulating, the sustainability of the zeal for such extra-routine activities was always doubtful. These days one does not hear too much about such gardening activities though it may till be taking place in some areas with dedicated people committed to self-reliance. Now comes the news regarding further development of the concept of urban gardening based on vacant sites near regular dwelling houses taken up as a community program in several cities across the US. If such trend continues, city authorities may have to re-think about the present zoning systems to accommodate farming urge of their citizens. .

"It's an unusual place for a farm — an industrial stretch in the 1700 block of Powerline Road also home to construction material retailers and wholesalers, auto repair businesses, and even an exotic dance club. Appropriately named The Urban Farmer, Jessica Padron will participate in a community agriculture program, offer workshops for children and adults and have a farm stand for the extras. "If I won't feed it to my daughter, I won't sell it to you," Padron said. Padron's is one of dozens of farms sprouting in urban settings and inner cities across South Florida. There's Earth N' Us and Roots in the City in Miami; Marando Farms in Fort Lauderdale; and the Girls U-Pick Strawberry Farm in Delray Beach. There are also smaller community gardens taking root behind backyard fences, church gardens and abandoned lots. As cabbage and chickens move closer to office buildings and neighborhoods, municipalities across the country are trying to figure out how and where to fit the urban farm. "It is true that city politicians are not used to dealing with this sort of thing," said Alfonso Morales, assistant professor of urban and regional planning at the University of Wisconsin. "[But] in some places they're not [only] used to it but they seek it aggressively. They all have different models for trying to establish community agriculture." The trend is slowly catching on here. In West Palm Beach, a group of residents is working with the city to create an urban farm ordinance. In Delray Beach and Fort Lauderdale, residents are asking city officials to allow backyard chickens".

It is unthinkable as to how costly land in urban areas can be used for agriculture unless one is dealing with inner city areas where there is a drastic drop in land prices. As long as there is unwanted vacant land available in cities, such novel projects can be considered and the returns in terms of social awareness and enhanced appreciation of farmer activities can be appreciable. Of course in a country like the US, where agricultural practices are highly standardized and cultivation packages re readily available such outlandish ideas have a better chance to succeed whereas in India it is impractical to think about them.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

CORPORATE GARDENING-A PASSING FANCY?

Urban gardening is often suggested as a possible solution to some of the ills that afflict this planet. In many places in the US, vegetable gardens were raised in vacant areas near the human settlements and the produce harvested were claimed to be superior to commercially grown ones in terms of quality and safety. In big metropolitan areas like New York, terrace gardens were touted as a possible alternative to procuring fresh produce from distant places with high food mileage incurred by the latter. How far these local movements would solve the food problem or environmental degradation is a matter of conjecture. But even if it contributes to some extent in solving the food and environmental problems, such initiatives deserve to be encouraged and supported. Whether such efforts will be fruitful in a water starved country like India is another issue requiring in-depth consideration. Translating a hobby into a practical and world-wide movement is fraught with enormous logical and human constraints.

"But a five-minute walk away is the organic corporate vegetable garden, where spreadsheets and performance reviews give way to basil starts and black peppermint plants. Employees can sneak out for a quick lunchtime weeding session and cart home the harvest. As companies have less to spend on raises, health benefits and passes to the water park, a fashionable new perk is emerging: all the carrots and zucchini employees can grow. Carved from rolling green office park turf or tucked into containers on rooftops and converted smoking areas, these corporate plots of dirt spring from growing attention to sustainability and a rising interest in gardening. But they also reflect an economy that calls for creative ways to build workers' morale and health."It's almost as if they are saying, 'Yeah, we couldn't give you a pay increase and yeah, times are tough, but this is something we can do to help improve the quality of your life,' " said Bruce Butterfield, the research director for the nonprofit National Gardening Association. In corporate language, there is very little benchmarking on the numbers of gardens. But dozens of companies in several parts of the country have recently installed them or are digging them this spring. That Google, Yahoo and Sunset magazine have started organic gardens is not a surprise. They are, after all, based in Silicon Valley, where the work force is almost as comfortable composting as it is programming".

The reported waning of interest amongst people in terrace top gardens is to be expected, especially in a society where time is a limiting constraint. But one cannot take the credit away from this noble and novel concept and corporate organizations must continue to support such initiatives, at least for the sake of refreshing the minds of their employees during their hard and strenuous office work. Probably keeping the employees occupied mentally and physically may reduce the health care expenses at least, though it may not solve the food problem.

V.H.POTTY

http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com