gardening

Nov 26

Urban Agriculture … some Socio-Economic Benefits.

Ecological Economics, Sustainability, Urban Agriculture No Comments »

Urban Agriculture provides economic benefits of great breadth and depth.

Recently, there is increasing talk and media attention regarding ‘Clean-Tech’ and ‘Green-Tech’. These ‘technologies’ generally do not address any underlying personal/social lifestyle issues. And, these so-called Clean/Green Tech’nologies focus on individual (independent) components …

My approach, rather, is to focus on designing true systemic lifestyle solutions in the form of services.

Below are just a few examples of some extended benefits of Urban Agriculture that are not immediately obvious. In fact, these points serve to illustrate the ‘whole systems’ mindset of Ecological Economics.

Nov 16

Urban Agriculture … a Petro-Independent industry.

Ecological Economics, Garden, Sustainability, Urban Agriculture 3 Comments »

Imagine, Urban Agriculture as a new industry in which people work locally.

Imagine, the work processes designed around the use of simple hand-tools, primarily, which the workers can conveniently carry themselves in a backpack to accomplish many/most of the tasks – shoveling, raking, pruning, staking, weeding, etc … etc.

Imagine cycling as the primary mode of transportation for the distributed workers. This is symbolic of a new era.

With only a small, lightweight complement of hand-tools … the ‘fieldworkers’ can actually utilize a bicycle as a primary vehicle within their ‘fieldwork catchment area’ in the vicinity of their home.

Since employees primarily work within the immediate vicinity of their homes, and require only a small complement of lightweight hand tools … then, bicycles are the appropriate practical vehicle for employee mobilization.

Tagged with: business • cities • cycling • Economics • gardening • Optimization • resilience

Nov 02

Small Plot INtensive (SPIN) Farming … and Somerton Tanks Farms research.

Garden, Optimization, Property Design, Sustainability, Urban Agriculture No Comments »

SPIN Farming is method of Urban Agriculture.

Small Plot, INtensive Farming, ‘SPIN’, is a food production method devised by an experienced farmer for application to ‘sub-acre‘ plots of land, closer to market … thus becoming one form (of several*) of Urban Agriculture.

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Disclaimer: My positive writing on the SPIN farming – and the methods of the ‘Institute for Innovations in Local Farming’ – is purely out of respect of the founders, and partners, and their accomplishments in developing an appropriate food production method for our modern urban society. I am not compensated in any way. I am very thankful for their efforts, and sharing with me the ‘Feasibility Report’ (2007) that details the positive financial details.

Here is the link to the report: This is the ‘Media’ page of the SPIN Farming website … scroll down to ‘Research Papers’ – second in the category … Institute for Innovations in Local Farming – Farming in Philidelphia: Feasibility Analysis (Complete Study)

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The ‘Institute for Innovations in Local Farming’ has carried out local agriculture research at the Somerton Tanks Demonstration Farm (STF) – the research is based on the SPIN methods, with the SPIN founder, Wally Satzewich as advisor.

The results of the four year research projects of STF operations are very impressive and encouraging … showing the great potential of Urban Agriculture, in general, and specifically local, land-based farming/gardening.

The Demonstration farm projects showcases the economic viability of a small-scale farm business: the economics of localized food production are positive.

Moreover, growing healthy food produce is a far superior use of otherwise empty grass lawns. This is an excellent example of optimization, and a means of developing the resilient and sustainable society … toward a true thriving society.

Tagged with: business • cities • food • gardening • grass • lawn • transformation

Oct 27

Urban Agriculture: a New Industry

Garden, Property Design, Urban Agriculture, Urban Transformation 2 Comments »

With respect to the ‘business case’ of Urban Agriculture, there are two main ‘issues’ of concern … requiring explanation.

- the food production issue

- the urban property maintenance issue

Food Production:

As a new agriculture, the urban production of food takes place close to the paying customers, this ‘very-local’ neighbourhood production will be the most fresh produce, earning the highest price.

The locality of production – and familiarity with resident customers -minimizes the cost to transport and ‘market’ the produce.

And with Urban Agriculture, the food grown is high-value market produce with an increase in heritage and specialty foods, commanding a premium price.

Tagged with: cities • food • gardening • grass • lawn • maintenance • property • transformation

Oct 26

Our Eco-_Social Disconnect.

Ecological Economics, Garden, Principles, Sustainability, Urban Agriculture 2 Comments »

Consider: Our society (our ’so-called’ advanced, developed western nations) are comprised of at least five (5) distinct generations of people who, after fifteen years of the formal educational system (jr. K – Gr. 12) have learned very little … if anything at all … of nature, ecology, ‘the environment’. And, through no fault of their own.

Is it any wonder that we have problems?

And with post-secondary, only those who pursue bio/eco studies have a real basis of understanding. But, then, in the typically ‘reductionist’ mode that doesn’t provide the basis for understanding the many aspects of emergent properties of dynamical systems – nature; Life; economics; society; climate; weather; and so much else are dynamical systems with emergent properties that cannot necessarily be understood from an a knowledge of their individual component parts.

This does not bode well.

This lack of knowledge/understanding is so important since it is the decisions that people make (big and small) everyday that comprise ‘the economy’ and a civilized society.

The economy, in general, is the result of our social interactions. What people ‘busy’ themselves with – all day, everyday … their busy-ness, is, indeed, their ‘business’; and, ’the economy’ is the combination of everyones’ business. All of which is composed of decisions.

And virtually all of those decisions are based on a lack of knowledge/understanding … of the very ecological ‘asset base’ on which everything is absolutely dependent, and, from which everything derives.

Rectifying this situation … this eco–_social disconnect is a priority.

Tagged with: business • cities • design • Economics • gardening • resilience • transformation

Oct 25

Mulch the leaves

Garden No Comments »

It’s autumn. Leaves are falling.

The fallen leaves can be mulched with any regular power lawn mower – even electric. It may not be as effective, but it’s good enough to accelerate decomposition and reduce the volume for yard ‘waste’ collection.

Rake the leaves into piles … linear piles, and use the edge of the mower to ‘bite’ into the pile, discharging to the side: tilt the mower up at it’s front end by pushing on the handlebar, and working into the pile slowly. It’ll work quite well. And a repeat mulching will reduce the volume further.

The mulching of leaves (all yard waste) is perhaps the single best use of a motorized power tool. It is for this reason that a regular lawn mower performs a valuable function – for all it’s noise, particulate and CO2 emissions. A mulching attachment achieves excellent results.

Tagged with: gardening • grass • lawn • maintenance • property

Oct 13

Socio-Economic Benefits of Urban Agriculture: Bringing Work to People.

Ecological Economics, Urban Agriculture 2 Comments »

My primary focus of Urban Agriculture is (residential) yard food gardening.

In the North American (and to a lesser extent, Western Europe), the suburban model of primarily single-family detached homes on large residential lots provides plenty of land as well as the labour ‘pool’ in need of employment.

Also, the traffic congestion due to the expanse of suburban sprawl – and the separation of residential, commercial and other uses – requires a new approach: to bring work to people, instead of trying to improve the transportation of people to work.

So, Urban Agriculture serves many purposes … simultaneously providing a multitude of high-value eco/social benefits.

Tagged with: business • cities • Economics • food • gardening

Oct 12

Crop Diversity. Cary Fowler: One Seed at a Time (Video)

Garden, Sustainability, Urban Agriculture No Comments »

In a recent post of the ‘Range of Benefits of Urban Agriculture’, I mentioned the vitally important benefit of increasing urban biodiversity, Specifically, the capability of collecting and saving seeds – in particular heirloom and heritage food seeds.

Here’s a video of Cary Fowler, Executive Director of the Global Crop Diversity Trust, (GCDT), speaking at TED Conference about the importance of saving the biodiversity of our global food sources. The GCDT is partner in managing the Svalbard Global Seed Vault.

Tagged with: food • gardening • resilience • seeds

Oct 07

Range of Benefits from Urban Agriculture

Garden, Sustainability, Urban Agriculture No Comments »

Besides the obvious health benefits of Maximum nutrient content and flavour from fresh locally grown foods, there many other less obvious benefits of Urban Agriculture.

First of all, the physical labour work of Urban Agriculture will contribute to an improved fitness, health.

As well, the overall psychological well-being: the peaceful ‘productive’ work, intimately involved ‘in nature’ … experiencing the weather, animals and all the sensory beauty is vital to the soul.

Likewise, the social interaction within local neighbourhoods, communities … entire city … between cities. This builds/improves social cohesion; sense of belonging … sense of place … gives people something to care about.

Moreover, the sense of accomplishment and contribution – especially with something so fundamental as fresh, nutritious tasty food, is of incalculable value for a healthy society.

Tagged with: food • gardening • resilience

Oct 04

Permaculture … Greening the desert (video)

Garden, Optimization, Permaculture, Property Design, Sustainability, Urban Agriculture No Comments »

Permaculture was first discussed by Franklin Hiram King in 1911 to capture the essence of Permanent Agriculture … agricultural practices which can proceed indefinitely.

Permaculture is Optimization in the design of food garden systems.

Over the decades, the ideas were refined as a result of careful observation of natural processes and functions of ecosystems. The modern, ’standard’ concept of Permaculture can be attributed to Bill Mollison, considered the ‘father’ of the movement and David Holmgren.

I’ll describe Permaculture in increasing detail in subsequent blog posts.

For now, this video is an excellent primer, and provides a basis of knowledge to understand the ‘wholistic’ thinking from a Whole Systems mindset.

Here are some links:
http://permaculture.org.au/ The main permaculture organization; Australia.
http://www.permaculture.org/nm/index.php/site/index/ ‘Sister’ organization; USA.

Tagged with: ecosystems • food • gardening • Optimization

Sep 30

Falling Leaves: Nature’s Resource Extraction and Distribution

Biomimicry, Dynamical Systems, Ecological Economics, Management, Optimization, Sustainability No Comments »

With the falling leaves of Autumn, we lament the ‘hassle’ of getting rid of the yard ‘waste’.

But these falling leaves contain the nutrients and fibrous ‘bio-mass’ to condition the soil.

Think about it … the natural cycle of the falling leaves of the deciduous trees (of the temperate regions), is the natural method of resource extraction and distribution. The tree ‘takes up’ various mineral/nutrients from deep below the ground, and with each season grows a new crown of foliage … which is later dropped onto the surface of the ground.

How elegant! No mechanical motorized equipment or machinery required. No harsh petroleum fueled chemical-industrial manufacturing facility involved.

To be sure, this is chemistry. Natural chemistry: the chemical exchange between the soil and roots, through the tree and fueled by the solar energy.

The end result, is that the chemical/mineral nutrients that were once deep in the ground are placed on the surface to replenish the top layer of soil – made available to the many shallow rooted plants.

And we don’t have to do anything. Except appreciate it.

Tagged with: Biomimicry • business • Economics • gardening • Optimization • resilience • waste

Sep 28

Urban Agriculture: Optimization, Part 4 Making best use of what we already have.

Management, Optimization, Principles, Urban Agriculture, Urban Transformation No Comments »

Urban Agriculture is a primary example of Maximizing Optimization/Utilization (Max. O/U) and minimizing waste/pollution/cost.

Indeed, agriculture on it’s own is such an Optimal process from which civilization has evolved … agriculture and the permanent settlements of towns/cities are interdependent and mutually co-supportive.

In fact, through our shared history we progressed individually, and together as a society, since there was a corresponding improvement in productivity with each new agricultural technique/technology development/refinement.

For instance, from a small scratch plow to the use of the mould-board on a heavy plow (for use in heavy, wet clay soils); collared yoke harnesses for draught animals, which in turn allowed the switch from oxen to faster horses; iron tipped implements; etc.

The increased productivity allowed the time/health/opportunity for us, as a society, to ‘free-up’ human labour (and land area) for other endeavours … arts, culture … constructing better, more durable buildings.

This aspect of arts, culture and the construction of durable buildings (especially cathedrals) gave rise to the urbanized civilization as we know it.

Tagged with: business • cities • gardening • Optimization • property • transformation

Sep 27

It’s Autumn. Leave the leaves … (as many as possible).

Biomimicry, Garden, Management, Optimization, Sustainability No Comments »

It’s Autumn. The ‘Fall’ season.

The plants of the temperate regions have evolved, naturally, to drop their leaves. Doing so, the fallen leaves return the nutrients and fibrous ‘bio-mass’ to the top layer of soil.

And what do we do?

We rake up … worse, nowadays, we blow or vacuum!! … the leaves to be discarded as ‘yard waste’.

It is this mindset … and our actions … this is the true ‘waste’.

Unfortunately, we don’t have any choice. We must have some leaf collection. What we can do, though, is mulch as much/best as possible on our own properties … leaving as many of the leaves in place, as is possible.

Tagged with: Biomimicry • business • gardening • maintenance • Optimization • property

Sep 26

Urban Farming in Detroit: Transformation in Action!

Garden, Management, Sustainability, Urban Agriculture, Urban Transformation No Comments »

This (Sept 26, ‘09) Toronto Star article about Urban Farming is Detroit is very informative and encouraging.

And this earlier article (April 3/’09) from CleanTech.com details the same Urban Farming project and principals.

Large tracts of the inner city of Detroit are vacant and the remaining residents have been taking action to make use of the available space to grow food – a vital endeavour, literally, as there are no grocery chain stores anywhere within the city limits!

Now, a larger scale urban farming enterprise is being promoted by private corporate interests to operate on 2023 hectares (in 120 hectare ‘plots’ or ‘pods’). Continue reading »

Tagged with: business • cities • Economics • ecosystems • food • gardening • maintenance • property • transformation

Sep 13

Stop ‘tampering’ in the garden … and in business, economics, etc.

Dynamical Systems, Ecological Economics, Garden, Management, Optimization No Comments »

Are you new to gardening?

Far too many people actually do too much, in terms of making ‘adjustments’ – ‘fixing’ problems, etc. without really understanding the situation.

Whether with food gardens, or purely aesthetic flower/landscape gardens, I have seen people ‘doing things’ mostly for the sake of ‘doing’ … ‘puttering in the garden’, to make themselves feel as though they’ve accomplished something.

Watering, for instance: I’ve watched people water the garden with the hose – just enough to wet the dry surface to become a rich brown colour, as though they’re painting the ground. And, of course, the earthy aroma is satisfying. But, actually, such ‘light waterings’ are counter-productive Continue reading »

Tagged with: business • design • Economics • ecosystems • gardening • Optimization • waste

Sep 09

Garden design for all seasons.

Garden, Property Design No Comments »

Here in Toronto, with four distinct seasons, it is important to design a garden/property to provide enjoyment and interest in all seasons.

Especially in cold climates, good design allows visual enjoyment from within the house when temperatures and precipitation keep you inside.

In winter, the white backdrop of snow provides the bright clean contrast to appreciate the beauty of branch structures, for instance; the ‘roughness’ to counter-balance the smoothness and softness of snow. Also, the white ‘canvass’ shows the bright colours of winter hardy berries (important as a food source for birds).

Tagged with: design • gardening • maintenance • property

Sep 05

Garden design for Audible Aesthetics.

Garden, Property Design No Comments »

It is important to design gardens/properties to provide beauty in various forms to all senses. We are sensory creatures, after all.

We generally choose plants or other ‘features’ primarily for their visual appeal. In the case of fragrant flowers, we select for their aroma.

How about choosing plants for their audible effect?

Yes. The leaves of ‘Trembling aspens’, for instance, have evolved to catch the slightest breeze in such a way that they oscillate and produce a soft sound. Or, how about a plant in which the loose seeds in the pods produce a soft rattle of a pleasant percussion.

Have fun with gardening.

Tagged with: design • gardening • property

Sep 03

Urban Agriculture: Lessons from Russia.

Ecological Economics, Garden, Urban Agriculture, Urban Transformation No Comments »

Russia, specifically St. Petersburg, provides excellent lessons and statistical research data regarding the importance and benefits of Urban Agriculture.

In particular, the Urban Gardening Club of St. Petersburg, and their Roof Top Gardening project. This club is impressive in their scientific rigor and their projects are heartening … involving gardening for rehabilitating prisoners; horticultural therapy for physically impaired; and more.

A document published (April 2000) by the World Health Organization: Food and Nutrition Policy Unit (Regional Office for Europe), presents a wealth of knowledge gained through the research in Urban Agriculture conducted by the Urban Gardening Club of St. Petersburg from 1992 – 1999.

An example of their research test results is described below (section 3, of the document) follows …

Tagged with: cities • food • gardening

Sep 02

Urban Agriculture: Global Perspectives

Urban Agriculture No Comments »

‘Growing Better Cities’, (2006) by Luc J.A. Mougeot, a publication of Canada’s ‘International Development Research Centre’ provides an excellent overview of two decades worth of research into Urban Agriculture and presents the current situations of cities of the southern developing nations.

There is much to learn from this book. Please visit the IDRC website for a wealth of knowledge and information: their website is rather annoying to navigate, so I’ve included a few key links: Urban Agriculture; IDRC Home Page.

For instance:

In the southern developing countries, Urban Agriculture holds significant potential to improve the lives of the poor … yet, in some of these countries, there has been a perception of Urban Agriculture as being ‘backward’ – an agrarian vestige of the past, which the officials/politicians seek to move away from in the name of progress.

Tagged with: cities • food • gardening

Sep 01

Urban Agriculture … a new Profession.

Ecological Economics, Principles, Urban Agriculture 2 Comments »

We need to make best possible use of what we already have, and that includes the land are and the people that live in the city.

Urban Agriculture holds the potential to generate massive employment with meaningful, satisfying work.

Consider how many people arrive home after a day at a stressful (and often professional) career job, and choose to work in their garden/yard … that is because it is so inherently satisfying; a truly natural human endeavour that, in fact, is the foundation of civilization.

Such employment is local, community based, and the workers can conceivably perform most of their tasks as pedestrians or utilizing bicycles and public transit … imposing no new traffic congestion, as well as air quality improvements and other eco/enviro and social benefits.

Tagged with: cities • food • gardening

Aug 30

Long ’short-cut’

Garden, Property Design 2 Comments »

Have a corner property? Have an annoying situation of people (teens) taking a short-cut across your property?

Instead of a installing a barrier or fence, consider taking a different approach (literally, and figuratively).

Think about this … develop a welcoming landscaped feature with a restricted walking path that meanders around, up and down – even forcing tricky steps in traversing obstacles; a ’short-cut’ foot path that is longer and slower than the public walkway. Make it enticing. Even invite people to walk the trail.

What do you think will happen?

Most people will likely stay on the public walkway since it’ll be easier/faster!

For those that do take your trail, good for them. They’ve slowed themselves, briefly, and likely enjoyed the journey.

New mindsets … new thinking. Challenge the assumptions.

Tagged with: gardening • property

Aug 27

The beauty of quiet.

Ecological Economics 2 Comments »

Please, for everybody’s sake … for the sake of a sane society, let’s all be mindful of the mechanical noise generated by motorized power tools.

Please be aware of how far sound travels, and how disturbing the awful mechanical noise can be. Moreover, noise pollution is very real with significant negative health effects. Noise pollution is a topic for further discussion with regards to ecological economics.

There are workplace health and safety laws regulating the types/amounts of noise that may be generated in a workplace, and the hours of operations (typically, weekday work hours).

Yet, oddly, we’ve allowed our residential communities to be turned into industrial workplace zones without the (effective) noise restrictions! Worse, as a society, we’ve mechanized so many otherwise simple quiet tasks – blowers, leaf vacuums in place of brooms and rakes. So increasingly, there are more (unnecessary) sources of mechanical noise, and used with increasing frequency.

Interesting, isn’t it?
Continue reading »

Tagged with: gardening • maintenance

Previous Entries

David Nock

Urban Agriculture … some Socio-Economic Benefits.

Urban Agriculture … a Petro-Independent industry.

Small Plot INtensive (SPIN) Farming … and Somerton Tanks Farms research.

Urban Agriculture: a New Industry

Our Eco-_Social Disconnect.

Mulch the leaves

Socio-Economic Benefits of Urban Agriculture: Bringing Work to People.

Crop Diversity. Cary Fowler: One Seed at a Time (Video)

Range of Benefits from Urban Agriculture

Permaculture … Greening the desert (video)

Falling Leaves: Nature’s Resource Extraction and Distribution

Urban Agriculture: Optimization, Part 4 Making best use of what we already have.

It’s Autumn. Leave the leaves … (as many as possible).

Urban Farming in Detroit: Transformation in Action!

Stop ‘tampering’ in the garden … and in business, economics, etc.

Garden design for all seasons.

Garden design for Audible Aesthetics.

Urban Agriculture: Lessons from Russia.

Urban Agriculture: Global Perspectives

Urban Agriculture … a new Profession.

Long ’short-cut’

The beauty of quiet.

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