Products from urban farms.
An urban farm is a farm located in an urban area. Urban farms generally look more like large vegetable gardens than actual farms, but they can be used to produce a wide variety of fresh foods, including produce, eggs, and milk. The mission of an urban farm can range from a demonstration site to show people that urban farming is possible to a productive farm that produces fresh food for sale to the community.
Many urban farmers sell their produce at the farmers’ market.
There are various reasons why people choose to create urban farms. In some communities, farms are used to connect the community and interest them in the source of their food, giving people the opportunity to work on the farm, meet the people who care for it, and visit so they can see how the crops grow. foods. . Nutrition education programs sometimes use urban farms to educate people, especially children, about where food comes from and why a healthy, balanced diet is important.
Some urban farmers raise chickens to produce eggs.
Fans of sustainable agriculture promote urban farms because they reduce the distance food needs to travel from farm to table. These groups use urban farms to show people that it is possible to grow food locally instead of relying on distant places for food. An urban farm also tends to focus on organic production methods and other environmentally friendly measures, in contrast to industrialized agriculture that provides most of the world’s food.
Small urban garden plots can produce significant food for small families.
Almost anywhere with some land can be used as an urban farm. Vacant lots, residential landscaping, roofs, and roads were used for urban agriculture. As space is often limited, dense production methods are often promoted, allowing people to grow as much as possible in the space they have. Many urban farms are also designed to be aesthetically pleasing, thus contributing to the urban landscape as well as providing nutrition.
Urban farms can be run as community collectives, where community members work together to grow food and share the bounty. This can provide access to fresh food for people who would otherwise have trouble obtaining it, such as residents of low-income neighborhoods without markets. Others may run an urban farm in a community supported agriculture (CSA) model, in which people pay a subscription that covers farm costs, in exchange for regular food deliveries. Urban farms can also be run by schools, advocacy groups, and collections of friends.
People interested in urban agriculture can find an example in their area. Most urban farmers are happy to show people around and talk about what they do, and some may have openings for people who want to join a CSA or work on the farm. Advocacy groups can even help people set up urban farms, for people who want to get more involved.