Local Sustainable Food
When asked to imagine a farm, you might conjure images of vast tracts of land, far out in the country, perhaps hundreds or thousands of miles away. Urban farmers have changed the farming model. By stitching together a collection of small plots of land in the city, urban farmers can grow enough food in less than one acre to nourish a community, provide a healthy income for the farmer, and develop community cooperation and interaction.
It's a simple concept: landowners (homeowners, businesses, schools, public lands, churches) offer space for vegetable production Backyard Bounty will develop this land into an intensive, productive micro-farm. We then provide freshly harvested vegetables for the landowner and bring the remaining produce to market (e.g. farmers' markets, CSA program, neighbourhood cooperatives, and restaurants).
Urban Gardening in Guelph
In 2005, an undergraduate research team working for Dr. Karen Farbridge wrote a research paper to assess issues concerning urban gardening in the city of Guelph:
“Gardening has long been present in cities as a viable means to ensure food security, a fresh and healthy source of produce and for simple leisure and community building since the modern city first began to appear on the landscape. The potential for urban gardening as a means to build community and ensure greater food security in Guelph is immense, both as community gardens and private gardening, and the practicality of urban gardening still remains much the same since its inception.
In light of the numerous benefits, options and practicality of urban gardening, the City of Guelph should endeavour to set out policies that help to promote a greater urban involvement in the food we eat through community gardens.
Real possibilities for further development, potential sites that could be utilized for further development, and potential barriers in creating more urban gardens are also addressed. Additionally, policy initiatives are proposed in order to create political momentum and direction for future development of urban gardening projects in the city of Guelph.”
