City Farmers

I love this video! I find it amazing that this film was produced in 1996. While you can argue that the urban agriculture/gardening/greening movement has now become mainstream, gentrified and chic even, this film is a great reminder that the seeds for this movement were originally sown by ordinary people in the community who wanted nothing more than to rid their neighborhoods of junk filled abandoned lots and have a place to grow food.

When you listen to these gardeners tell their stories, it's interesting to hear how many of them love their gardens because it reminds them of simpler times - perhaps of their childhood and their parents or grandparents who also farmed or had gardens. I think that in large part explains why I personally love gardening so much.

Unexpected Good News for Urban Honey Bees

Who says that all things agricultural and sustainable have to be relegated to the countryside? Here is an interesting article about a growing industry in Paris, France - Honey. It turns out that urban hives are more productive then their country counterparts and have lower mortality rates. Could this be yet more evidence that chemical pesticides (more prevalent in rural areas) are heavily impacting the local bee population?

"Paris rooftops swarm with bees as urban honey industry takes off" - by Charles Bremner (The Times -UK, August 18th, 2009)

Freedom Gardens

A few days ago, I decided to join FreedomGardens.org, which is a small but growing online social network of people who are interested in living a greener life. It was started by the Dervaes family, who gained worldwide attention a few years back for being urban homesteaders in Pasadena, California. They've been able to grow more than 6000 pounds of food annually on their 1/5 of an acre suburban home (which is amazing when you think about it) and currently raise goats, chickens and ducks. I have to say that this is probably one of the best online communities I've joined. There's plenty of great information and advise posted by members on the site and interesting groups/forums to join. Ultimately, without meaning to sound too political, I just like knowing that there are plenty of people out there who share similar values regarding our interaction with this world and who seek their own version of what Helen and Scott Nearing referred to as "The Good Life". Plus, it's also nice to see what some non-blogging gardeners are up to!

Another brief update on the garden: The fall planting of carrots, beets and peas are starting to emerge. Yesterday, I prepared another bed (8 total now, at least 4 more to go) and sowed some flowering brassica (Yu Choy Sum), hakurei turnips and mesclun mix. Also, I will hopefully get around to installing the garden door this weekend.

What Springs from Concrete

I love reading about all things green and tasty. Much of my downtime away from the garden is spent reading newspaper and magazine articles, online essays and books about home gardening, urban "greening", sustainable farming practices, agricultural history, modern food practices, traditional cuisines, etc. That being said, I thought I'd start posting links to some articles on such things I find interesting (and hopefully, others find interesting as well). Also, I would greatly welcome any reading suggestions you may have.

Anyhow, speaking of urban greening, I found this NY Times article today about a little flower garden that sprang up from a graffiti-ridden Brooklyn sidewalk. I love reading about individuals who take it upon themselves to create something beautiful out of something that's rundown and lifeless for everyone in the community to enjoy.

"A Verdant Spot Springs Forth From Concrete" - by Anne Rever, NY Times (August 5th, 2009)