Profiles of sixteen innovative farms in major cities across America, plus basic how-to tips for composting, canning, beekeeping, growing vegetables, and more. Urban Farms takes readers on a journey across the country to sixteen established and emerging urban farm leaders, from Edible Schoolyard NYC in New York to Novella Carpenter’s Ghost Town Farm in California. Sarah C. Rich’s profiles about each farm, as well as her basic how-to tips on such activities as kitchen composting and beekeeping, offer insight and inspiration. Matthew Benson’s photographs, meanwhile, reveal the quirky individuality that is innate in these green spaces tucked among city buildings and empty lots. In addition, five essays by experts in the field examine a variety of roles that urban farms can play in our lives today. Praise for Urban Farms “These snapshots of urban farms reinforce the truth about farming in a city is one of the surest ways to build community, feed our children real food, become fiscally responsible, and support a sustainable future.” —Alice Walters, chef, author, and founder of the Edible Schoolyard “Rich’s handsome, intelligent Urban Farms . . . chronicles a movement to bring kale to the people, an effort that stretches across the country, from Brooklyn to Oakland. . . . Benson’s spirited photographs capture the joy and beauty of urban farming’s bounty.” —New York Times Book Review

Chronicles the adventures of a woman who turned a vacant lot in downtown Oakland into a thriving urban farm, complete with chickens, turkey, bees, and pigs.

Street Farm is the inspirational account of residents in the notorious Low Track in Vancouver, British Columbia—one of the worst urban slums in North America—who joined together to create an urban farm as a means of addressing the chronic problems in their neighborhood. It is a story of recovery, of land and food, of people, and of the power of farming and nourishing others as a way to heal our world and ourselves. During the past seven years, Sole Food Street Farms—now North America’s largest urban farm project—has transformed acres of vacant and contaminated urban land into street farms that grow artisan-quality fruits and vegetables. By providing jobs, agricultural training, and inclusion in a community of farmers and food lovers, the Sole Food project has empowered dozens of individuals with limited resources who are managing addiction and chronic mental health problems. Sole Food’s mission is to encourage small farms in every urban neighborhood so that good food can be accessible to all, and to do so in a manner that allows everyone to participate in the process. In Street Farm, author-photographer-farmer Michael Ableman chronicles the challenges, growth, and success of this groundbreaking project and presents compelling portraits of the neighborhood residents-turned-farmers whose lives have been touched by it. Throughout, he also weaves his philosophy and insights about food and farming, as well as the fundamentals that are the underpinnings of success for both rural farms and urban farms. Street Farm will inspire individuals and communities everywhere by providing a clear vision for combining innovative farming methods with concrete social goals, all of which aim to create healthier and more resilient communities.

Urban agriculture is the global movement that encourages the practice of cultivating, processing and distributing food in the city.

CLICK HEREto download the chapter on "Growing Strategies to Maximize Garden Space" fromThe Urban Farm Handbook * More than 150 sustainable resources for the Pacific Northwest * More than 90 basic home-production recipes * 75 black-and-white and 35 full color photographs * Up-to-date information on Seattle-area urban farming permits and policy Is that . . . a goat in your garage?! It might be if you've been readingThe Urban Farm Handbook: City-Slicker Resources for Growing, Raising, Sourcing, Trading, and Preparing What You Eat. In this comprehensive guide for city-dwellers on how to wean themselves from commercial supermarkets, the authors map a plan for how to manage a busy, urban family life with home-grown foods, shared community efforts, and easy yet healthful practices. More than just a few ideas about gardening and raising chickens,The Urban Farm Handbook uses stories, charts, grocery lists, recipes, and calendars to inform and instruct. As busy urbanites who have learned how to do everything from making cheese and curing meat to collaborating with neighbors on a food bartering system, the authors share their own food journeys along with those of local producers and consumers who are changing the food systems in the Pacific Northwest. Organized seasonally, this handbook instructs on: > How to maximize space for planting a variety of fruits and vegetables > Small-animal husbandry and beekeeping > Canning, drying, freezing, fermenting, and pickling techniques > Grinding grains for flour and other uses > Tips for creating a farmer-to-consumer connection > How to form a "buying club" with neighbors > "Opportunities for Change" steps to follow And so much more!

In the heart of the city, space is often limited, but the potential to grow your own food and create a self-sustaining urban oasis is limitless. How to Build a Self-Sustaining Urban Farm is your essential guide to transforming your urban environment into a thriving, eco-friendly farm. Whether you have a rooftop, balcony, or small backyard, this book provides step-by-step instructions, innovative techniques, and practical advice for cultivating food, building composting systems, harvesting rainwater, and creating a sustainable urban farm. With a focus on sustainability and community building, this guide shows you how to reduce your carbon footprint, enhance food security, and foster a connection to nature—all within the confines of the city.

This edition includes a variety of articles on urban agriculture. Articles discuss urban agriculture as a viable solution to food insecurities; the economic sustainability of urban agriculture; the impact of urban agriculture on specific groups, such as women in developing countries; and the future of urban farming. Includes primary and secondary sources from a variety of perspectives; eyewitnesses, scientific journals, government officials, and many others.