One may go as far as saying that if you live in an urban environment and are participating in any scale of vegetable or herb gardening, you’re by default participating in urban homesteading. Others may not be so generous. I, however, fall into the former category- everyone has to start somewhere!
Urban homesteading, sometimes classified as urban agriculture, is the practice of growing and producing a significant portion of the food you eat, keeping livestock, harvesting rainwater and other various forms of sustainable living in an urban or semi-urban environment.
Urban farms began to proliferate in the wake of riots stemming from police brutality, racism and segregation. Thousands of structures were destroyed all across the country but particularly in the south. Many of the destroyed businesses were grocers. Out of necessity and as a way of stickin’-it-to-the-man, urban dwellers began to farm the empty lots. Especially if you are white and are vocal about your homesteading practices, it is crucial for you to know that you owe everything to the brutalized black and brown forerunners who paved the way for you and who have systematically been erased from farming culture. But that’s another post for another day.
Today, six decades later in the year 2019, many Americans may not be feeling the same pressure to grow their own food.
The practice of urban farming may seem more like a superlative lifestyle rather than something necessary, which couldn’t be farther from the truth.
Even in bustling and thriving urban developments, Americans are plagued by a phenomenon known as “food deserts”. Food deserts are defined by the USDA as a low-income area where at least one third of the residents live more than one mile from a grocery store. In rural areas, it is ten miles.
We have the ability to grow enough food in this country, but getting it to the citizens is a different issue.
A mile may not seem like much, but when you don’t have a vehicle or easy access to public transit, a mile suddenly becomes much more difficult terrain to traverse. In these situations, hungry people often turn to one of the most common options that lies within walking distance: Gas stations/corner markets, where they purchase low-quality food and drink items which ultimately contribute to malnutrition and preventable disease.
From the World Food Programme website, the 2018 food crisis report states, “An estimated 124 million people in 51 countries are currently facing Crisis [and that’s with a capital C, folks] food insecurity or worse. Conflict and insecurity continued to be the primary drivers of food insecurity in 18 countries, where almost 74 million food-insecure people remain in need of urgent assistance.” Urban agriculture is one of many possible solutions to the complex issues faced in these underdeveloped countries.
Even with the United State’s presence on the global stage and its standing as a developed country, in 2017 it was estimated that 40 million Americans were food insecure and that “food deserts” are a legitimate concern. This is nearly 33% of the global concern that was raised just one year later.
Lack of access to healthful food is just one of many reasons to practice urban agriculture.
Fossil fuels and crude oils are nearing their depletion stage and more than ever, our current agricultural systems are dependent on them. One out of every 10 barrels of oil is brought in solely to produce food. Huge amounts of oil and gas are used in every part of food production: Oil and gas are used as as raw material and energy in the manufacturing of toxic fertilizers and pesticides, and as readily available cheap energy for planting, irrigation, fertilizing, harvesting, processing, packaging and distribution of the produce.
Think about it- gasoline fuels the plane that carries in certain produce and seed cargo from other countries. Gasoline fuels the mail delivery vehicle that takes seeds, regardless of where they’re coming from, to the home of the farmer. The farmer uses gasoline to fuel their farm equipment and then to deliver the produce to the markets to which the consumer then accesses by using gas to fuel their vehicle. The average meal travels 4,200 miles to get to your plate.
The industrial food supply system is one of the biggest consumers of fossil fuels and one of the greatest producers of greenhouse gases.
By designating the use of fuels to a trip to the market or home delivery for seeds and plant starts, urban ag can drastically reduce our dependence on oil.
We are in a time of climate change, something we do not yet fully understand. While there are over 20,000 species of edible plants in the world, fewer than 20 species now provide more than 90% of our food- and according the FAO, more than 50% of all human calories come from just three plants: corn, rice and wheat.
According to the MSU extension office, on average a small family farm is 231 acres, large farms average 1,421 acres and very large farms average 2,088 acres. Even the smallest of these contain a vast amount of space and the enormous lack of biodiversity in the American diet puts us at extreme risk: If a particular pathogen or plant pest develops, or a crop develops a particular weakness to climate change, the entire crop becomes vulnerable because of the lack of genetic variability within it. [Consider the Irish potato famine, which caused the death of 1.5 million people and the emigration of 2 million more, or how about the most recent, the North Korean famine where torrential rains destroyed grain fields killing 3 million people in four years.]
The excessive clearing of land for massive farms is a prominent cause of biodiversity loss and extinction of native flora and fauna species.
One of the amazing benefits urban agriculture has is the ability to alleviate the pressure on the 20 species, or 12 crops, grown on mass commercial farms. When we garden at our homes, we are able to enjoy many varieties of fruits, vegetables and herbs. By doing so, we are playing an active role in the conservation of biodiversity in edible crops. We take the pressure off huge farms and take responsibility for our own survival instead of putting it in the hands of others.
Aside from that, tasting the flavors and enjoying the unfamiliar colors and textures of less common foods is stimulating and preparing meals with such is a wonderful creative outlet.
Urban developments are producing more wastewater and organic wastes. Urban farming has the ability to recycle gray water and turn organic wastes into valuable resources, such as compost.
The massive, overactive farms of “Big Ag” and the traditional techniques utilized to sustain the American people are stripping minerals from the soil at remarkable levels. This causes the crops grown to be less and less nutritious. When you have your own urban homestead, however, you have the ability to turn your waste products into compost which goes back into your soil, rebuilding the integrity of the medium required to grow healthy food.
When one becomes interested in edible landscaping, one typically begins to notice things differently. You may be driving your usual commute and notice all the front yards filled with grass- your mindset is now different, and all you can think about is how much water, mowing, and effort is required to keep an ornamental lawn. You may begin paying closer attention to public landscaping and wonder why your city doesn’t use edible plants or fruit bearing trees in their choices.
It is imperative that local government take responsibility for the part they have played in the phenomenon of food deserts rather than abdicating their responsibility to landscape architects, who only have training in minimal species of ornamental plant varieties and usually none in edible plant varieties. The mantle of public landscape design should be placed on qualified permaculture designers, who have just as much creativity as a landscape designer but with more understanding of structure and plant symbiosis.
You may be interested in taking up the practice of large-scale urban gardening but are feeling intimidated and not sure how to get started. If you have never gardened before, a great place to start is with container gardening. Try growing a few of your favorite herbs, and perhaps a cherry tomato plant, each in their own medium-to-large size pot- the type of pot doesn’t necessarily matter as long as it has good drainage. Most herbs and veggies need 6+ hours of full sun to produce, so choose your location based on such.
If you have some gardening experience, perhaps start with one or two raised beds. Another idea is to replace ornamental plants in your landscape with edible varieties, such as large rosemary bushes.
If you own your home or know that you will be living in the same place for several years, chickens are an easy component to add to your urban homesteading endeavors. Ethically raising poultry rewards you with rich, delicious eggs (and meat, should you choose.) Whether herb or egg, being able to walk out your door and grab what you need is so addicting, I’m certain you’ll be hooked in no time!
Would you like to start harvesting rainwater or making your own compost? Most states have county programs that provide discounted items such as rainwater collection vessels and composting containers. Additionally, there are usually local green-minded businesses that will help you form a plan, build a garden and get you set up with whatever level of sustainable gardening you’re ready to take on.
Each year, expand just a little to what feels manageable for you. Always be adding and trying something new. In no time, you’ll look back in awe of how far you have come.
Perhaps urban homesteading seems like a radical concept to you and you aren’t sure whether it can really work. I assure you, it can. Human settlements have always existed in close relationship to their food. This is nothing new, and this can work!
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