Urban Agriculture

This article was written by staff writer Oksana Bihun. Read about Oksana here.

I recently made a huge transition in my professional career: going from corporate consultant to urban farmer in Washington, DC. Perhaps it could be considered a bold choice, but in the past three months, I’ve gotten a better understanding of (and appreciation for) food, food systems, and the intricacies of farming than I could have ever imagined. Farming in an urban city is a delicate dance of space manipulation, careful planning, and understanding of market demand. There is no “typical day” at the farm, which is perhaps why it attracts such a unique variety of individuals, eager to take on the hectic whirlwind lifestyle that it brings. 

The more time passes, however, the more I understand how little people actually know about urban agriculture. A lot of us interact with urban agriculture regularly — some people have plots in community gardens, others purchase greens from urban farms at farmers markets — but what does an urban farm actually look like? How do we farm in a city? Is there a limit to how much and what we can grow in cities? Do we use the same methods that traditional farms use? There are so many questions surrounding urban agriculture, so buckle up and hold on tight while we take a quick dive into urban farms!

What is Urban Agriculture

So it turns out, a widely accepted, formal definition of urban agriculture doesn’t actually exist! The US Department of Agriculture describes it as “city and suburban agriculture [that] takes the form of backyard, roof-top and balcony gardening, community gardening in vacant lots and parks, roadside urban fringe agriculture and livestock grazing in open space.” 

If your eyes just glazed over that mouthful of a sentence, I’m right there with you. Why is it so complicated to define urban agriculture? Well, for the most part, it’s because urban farms take on so many different forms. They differ in where they grow, how they grow, what they grow, and who they grow for! Urban regions aren’t just densely populated areas, they’re also ripe with opportunities to expand the ways we practice farming. 

The best way to *try* to sum up what urban agriculture looks like and how it can function is to give examples of what actually exists in our cities! In the next section I will go through four different urban farms, how they grow and operate, and what makes them unique!

Brooklyn Grange:

Founded in 2010, Brooklyn Grange is often used as a popular model of what urban agriculture can look like. It’s a series of rooftop farms spread throughout NYC that grow a diverse mix of crops. They produce over 100,000 lbs of produce per year and are located on roofs in Brooklyn and Queens.

What they grow: The list of crops they grow is immense, but includes vegetables, fruits, herbs, roots, microgreens, and so on. 

How do they farm: These rooftop farms contain huge beds of soil on which they farm, almost making you forget that you’re on a roof in a major metropolitan city. Their soil is created by a cooperative of mushroom growers and is well suited for the demand of city growing. They also have rooftop greenhouses to help them grow year round, even during snowy New Yorkwinters!

Other fun facts: In addition to farming, they use their farms as event spaces for weddings, yoga, and cocktail parties. They also have apiaries (bee hives) which they use to make and sell honey!

To learn more about Brooklyn Grange, visit their website!

Little Wild Things City Farm: 

Little Wild Things is a woman-owned and operated farm located in the heart of Washington D.C. They are an indoor farm that grows approximately 32 different varieties of microgreens and supply local restaurants, businesses, and families with their greens. 

What they grow: Little Wild Things grows mostly microgreens, as well as herbs, lettuces, and edible flowers.

How do they farm: Little Wild Things is primarily an indoor farm, but also has a small outdoor plot where they grow some of their edible flowers. Their indoor farm uses vertical growing techniques (a new form of farming conducive to smaller spaces), but uses soil to grow their microgreens (similar to traditional farming methods). 

They also use a hydroponic system to grow flowers and lettuces. A hydroponic system uses water instead of soil as the growing medium. The way it works is “growing pods” sit on top of a pool of water containing growing nutrients, which allows the plants to grow without needing soil. Despite what you may expect, this method of growing actually conserves a significant amount of water compared to traditional growing methods. This is because the water is, for the most part, recycled and reused. 

Other fun facts: Before the pandemic, Little Wild Things’ business model consisted of selling to restaurants as well as wholesale orders. Since then, they’ve constructed a CSA model to fit their farm and now supply weekly greens to neighborhoods in Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia! They also donate weekly CSA shares to different community centers to provide healthy meals for the community!

To learn more about Little Wild Things City Farm, visit their website!

AeroFarms:

Since 2004, AeroFarms has been growing greens using vertical farming technology that has set the standard for what future urban farms can look like. Their main farm is located in Newark, NJ and will soon be expanding to Danville, VA. They are also in the midst of constructing an R&D facility in Abu Dhabi that will focus on innovation and new agricultural technology and techniques. 

What they grow: AeroFarms grows a variety of baby greens and microgreens. Some varieties include arugula, bok choy, kale, and broccoli. 

How do they farm: The methodology that AeroFarms uses is extremely unique and not commonly seen. They use a technique called aeroponics, in which the plant, traditionally grown in soil, grows without any type of growing medium. Instead, a mist made up of water and plant nutrients is sprayed on the seeds and plants to facilitate growth. If you’ve ever seen an air plant, then you have a general idea of what aeroponics looks like! While this seems like a bizarre way to grow greens, it’s actually more sustainable in some ways, using up to 95% less water than traditional farming and using zero pesticides. 

Other fun facts: AeroFarms was recently recognized by NJ Reentry Corporation, for their role in helping remove barriers to employment for people returning from prison. 

To learn more about AeroFarms, visit their website!

Oko Farms:

Oko Farms is, in my opinion, the perfect embodiment of what urban agriculture can (and should) look like. It’s a combination urban farm, community engager, environmental educational center, and true hidden gem of NYC. It’s a woman founded farm that uses yet another form of growing, called aquaponics. 

What they grow: The farm grows a rotation of different crops, depending on the season. At the time of this article, Oko Farms was producing lettuce, arugula, chard, beets, spinach, and mint. 

How do they farm: Aquaponics is perhaps the most interesting, complex, and systems oriented method of plant production. It essentially consists of two different system: (1) Plants and (2) freshwater fish. The fish may seem extremely out of place, but they’re actually integral in providing nutrients and facilitating growth in the plants! The way it works is that the fish are cared for and fed and, in turn, they produce waste. This waste is then fed to plants hydroponically (through water) and helps them grow. An added bonus is that the plants actually filter the water as well, allowing it to go right back into the fish habitat with minimal cleaning or monitoring. This is a win-win situation for both the plants and the fish (and also those of us eating the veggies)!

Other fun facts: They are in the process of constructing another farm site, which will be an education and production center. This site will be a collaboration between Oko Farms, Compost Power, Island Bee Project, and City Growers. 

To learn more about Oko Farms, visit their website!

To sum it up...

Clearly, there are an overwhelming number of ways that urban agriculture can look like. Luckily, there are no shortage of farms near you! The best way to get to know and understand how farms grow and how they are incorporated into your local food chain is to go and talk to a farmer. As a farmer myself, I can confirm that we absolutely love talking about our line of work and are always happy to help people understand food systems better. Becoming more involved and volunteering with your local farm, purchasing CSA’s, and shopping at farmers markets are all great ways to support these growing types of farms and get fresh, healthy food in the process!

This article was written by Staff Writer Oksana Bihun. Read about Oksana here.

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