If aligning yourself with a healthier way of life resonates with you and you are particularly drawn to the notion of urban farming, then welcome to the revolution. Claiming that there are as many as hundreds upon thousands of urban gardens throughout America's inner cities, the founder of Growing Power Inc., Will Allen, says that, "This has become a multicultural, multigenerational movement...this isn't just (what) hippies and tree huggers (do). Everyone is getting on board." While some might consider this renewed interest in working small pockets of soil among large swaths of concrete jungle the latest in a long line of fleeting lifestyle trends that come and go, there are quite a few hard-to-ignore tell tale signs that it is indeed the wave of the future.
Surely you've heard of online urban farming inspired games like Farmville, MyFarm and FarmTown which feed into our population's need for agrarian simplicity? Peruse the magazine titles on newsstands and you'll see "Urban Farm: Sustainable City Living" tucked in among the other countless garden-related issues. Google the words "urban farm" and you'll stumble on an astounding 1,400,000 search results, the majority of which echo the fact that it refers to any scaled down, efficient, resourceful gardening project that yields fresh, supplemental produce. Among the many benefits of urban farming, the top fruits (or in this case "veggies") of our labor include:
1) Relieving pressure on our currently strained global food supply.
2) Regaining control of the food we consume.
3) Reconnecting to the land and do-it-yourself spirit -- self sufficiency rocks!
4) Helping to combat global warming by planting a rooftop garden.
5) Reducing your personal carbon footprint since the majority of your produce will be locally sourced.
6) Cultivating all crops organically with no chemical pesticides or GM seeds.
7) Making the most of your recession-challenged budget by transforming your labor into really economical, nutritious food.
8) Infusing your body with a steady stream of nutrients that would normally be very costly if purchased via conventional retailers.
9) Consuming interesting, unique heirloom varieties that will make foodies and mainstream eaters rejoice.
Britta Riley, the brainchild behind the New York City based Windowfarms Project, is hoping that enthusiastic proponents of this green revolution will help support her urban farm themed concept so that it can take on a new life of its own. Inspired by her grandfather's foresight regarding our compromised food systems (that are designed for high volume production but are inherantly flawed since food yields continue to be chemically treated and absent of full nutritional value), Riley has created do-it-yourself edible window gardens that employ a hydroponic drip system. They can be installed in any internal living environment using recycled materials and any scraps you have lying around the house. Her idea enables anyone to transform their sun-drenched windows into low-energy, high-yield vertical food growing systems utilizing online PDF instructions that repurpose 25 water bottles.
Think of the benefits -- the final delicious harvest is one thing, but also consider the beautification of your house, the natural air purifying effect generated by your vertical garden and the fact that the whole process is contributing to your health and overall wellness! Riley is presently in the midst of fundraising efforts for her Window Farms project and must reach a $25,000 goal by January 4, 2010, so if you'd like to support her business concept and help it reach the next level, consider donating a monetary sum this holiday season. Actually, that could be a really nice practical gift idea for the green thumb on your holiday list. Most garden enthusiasts would be thrilled to learn how to extend their growing season indoors, and supporting the efforts of a kindred spirit like Riley would be the icing on the cake.
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