Organic URban Farms
OURfarms is our newest project in harvesting unused green space in the city for agriculture. So far we’ve worked almost exclusively with vacant lots, which are still abundant, but that model is becoming more unsustainable as the city moves to full valuation of all land and the economy improves. It’s hard to invest lots of time and money preparing land for food to have it taken away without warning by the city or developers. In the interest of stability in our neighborhood food supply, we’re partnering with homeowners that have unused yard space that would be interested in sharing a portion of that land for food production.
For 2010, we are beginning with 10 pilot backyard farms in the Belmont/Mantua sections of Philadelphia. At each site, OURfarms workers will build and maintain raised bed food plots in the homeowner’s yard. The beds will be farmed using intensive organic methods and the homeowner will receive a share of the produce. Any surplus outside of the homeowner’s share will go to supply a produce market in the neighborhood. With the right practices, it’s possible to grow a significant amount of food in a small space, and raised beds allow us to build our own soil mixes to ensure adequate fertility and separation from possible contaminants. And by working with homeowners we avoid sudden eviction.
As a partner with OURfarms, homeowners will have access to individualized trainings in small scale food production, as well as access to the full range of workshops hosted at Preston’s Paradise. It is our goal that all participating homeowners will be able to take over full maintenance of their backyard farm within 3 years of installation.
We’re already talking with the Philadelphia Orchard Project and PROOF to provide other options for fruit trees or rooftop farms so that the maximum number of households can take advantage of the most local food possible.
We’re excited about this idea and want to hear your thoughts. Want to be part of the first 10 trial sites? Email ryan(at)prestonsparadise.org and we’ll come over and talk it out!
