Urban Farming

Urban farming: urban supply through agriculture in the city

A garden of one's own with big trees, colourful flowers and fresh vegetables - a dream for many. Unfortunately, for people who live in a city, this often remains a dream. But with the principle of "urban farming", you can also realise this dream on your own terrace.

A garden of one's own with big trees, colourful flowers and fresh vegetables - a dream for many. Unfortunately, for people who live in a city, this often remains a dream. But with the principle of "urban farming", you can also realise this dream on your own terrace.

Urban Farming

Urban agriculture, which is exactly what is meant by "urban farming", is on the rise. More and more city dwellers are using every available space to grow food in densely populated centres. It is not uncommon to find several urban farming projects in large cities that also work together.

What is behind the term Urban Farming?

What makes urban farming so special? How does urban farming differ from allotment gardens, for example? Well, for one thing, it is not (only) about self-sufficiency. Many urban farming projects sell their products, be it at corresponding weekly markets, local restaurants or organic shops in the neighbourhood. The charitable distribution of products to soup kitchens is also conceivable. Allotment gardens or backyard cultivation areas, on the other hand, serve the owners' own needs.

And while allotment gardens and home vegetable gardens are part of the planned inventory of a community, urban farming projects arise wherever there is space - on derelict land, on roofs and terraces, sometimes in schools or public parks.

Where did the idea actually come from?

The "roots" of urban cultivation can possibly be traced back to the First World War. As the war devastated farmland across Europe, citizens were explicitly encouraged to use vacant plots of land within urban boundaries to grow vegetables. The idea took off during the Great Depression and in many cases contributed to survival.

And during the duration of the Second World War, cities and towns released even more land area - with good reason, because the so-called "victory gardens" produced food with a (then) equivalent value of around 3 million US dollars. A remarkable achievement, and no small part of the US production from urban farming was even shipped to the soldiers overseas.

Urban Farming

What can be grown in urban farming?

Everything that grows in a normal field also grows in an urban context. This includes vegetables of all kinds, salads, root vegetables, but also perennials like maize. Fruit, especially berries, can also be grown easily, and even fruits such as apples, pears or peaches and much more can be planted - the latter, however, rather in specially designed trellis varieties. An urban farming project can be complemented by keeping bees, which not only produce honey but also pollinate the plants, and small animals such as rabbits or guinea pigs, even poultry, can also be part of such projects.

How do urban farmers go about it?

There are, of course, limits to this type of cultivation. The most important of these are the very small areas. Therefore, the use of large machines is not possible, and work is largely manual. In addition, many urban farming projects are working on how to grow more and more effectively, but sustainably, in a small space. The methods mostly come from organic farming - this applies to plant protection as well as pest control. Even water consumption is covered by sophisticated systems, often from grey water or similar wastewater that is compatible with food cultivation. Urban farming also uses special lighting where there is a lack of sunlight, if the land does not allow it otherwise. In fact, everything is thought of to optimise the yield in a reasonable way.

Urban Farming

The many advantages of urban farming

Growing in the city has many advantages. The most important of these is, of course, the availability of fresh produce that does not have to be transported far and packaged in an environmentally damaging way. In addition, the produce is often of organic quality.

In addition, green and cultivated areas in the city play their part in purifying the air and enable people to have close contact with nature. Children and young people in particular are given the opportunity to learn gardening - often the foundation for a lifelong fascination.

Quite a few municipalities release land for urban farming. If you are interested in this kind of sustainable agriculture on a very small scale, but really don't have a space yourself, you can ask the city or municipality. Watching something grow is a joy, increases the quality of life and enhances the entire environment. Urban farming definitely has a future!

Urban farming - on your own balcony

Of course, urban farming can also take place on a smaller scale, i.e. at home. Herbs and vegetables in particular are ideal for your own terrace. Having fresh lettuce, basil and tomatoes on your plate every day is not only delicious and healthy, but also cheap. Moreover, tending your own garden is not only sustainable, but also a nice and varied job to just switch off a bit.

 

While we at NIKIN are mainly concerned with sustainability in fashion and the preservation of forests, we hope that our blog will spark your interest in urban farming and motivate you to rethink your own lifestyle and possibly make it more sustainable.

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