Urban Agriculture

Resources

Urban agriculture refers to various practices of cultivating, processing, and distributing food in urban areas. The term also applies to the area activities of animal husbandry, aquaculture, beekeeping, and horticulture in an urban context. Urban agriculture is distinguished from peri-urban agriculture, which takes place in rural areas at the edge of suburbs. Urban agriculture can appear at varying levels of economic and social development. It can involve a movement of organic growers, "foodies" and "locavores", who seek to form social networks founded on a shared ethos of nature and community holism. More direct access to fresh vegetables, fruits, and meat products that may be realized through urban agriculture can improve food security and food safety while decreasing food miles, leading to lower greenhouse gas emissions, thereby contributing to climate change mitigation.

A picture of a container garden. There is many green plants growing with trees in the background.

Permaculture is a design system for ecological and sustainable living, integrating plants, animals, people, buildings, and communities. Permaculture includes a set of design principles derived using whole-systems thinking.
To view more information about Permaculture, view the resources below, including local examples.
Victory Gardens comes from the gardens planted in the U.S. during WWI and WWII. These were promoted in order to free up crops to feed soldiers overseas. Because of the diversion of food for the war effort, the government urged Americans to utilize any available space to grow their home gardens. In addition classes and brochures were provided by the government to teach people on how to preserve this food beyond the growing season.
Victory Gardens took many different forms, including farms, backyards, on city rooftops, in window boxes, on public lands, and in vacant lots.
Container gardening refers to the gardening practice of cultivating plants in pots, tubs, or other containers instead of directly in the ground or in raised beds.
Container gardening allows for food, flower, and herb production in locations where traditional gardens are not possible or accessible, including patios, balconies, decks, and sites with poor soil quality. They are a great option for renters, individuals with limited mobility, gardeners seeking to extend the growing season, and beginner gardeners looking to start their gardening practice gradually.
Keep in mind that containers are more susceptible to high temperatures and moisture loss than traditional gardening arrangements.
Companion planting is the practice of growing different crops near one another to enhance crop production, repel damaging pests, improve soil health, and promote biodiversity.
For more information about plant companions, view the resources below.