Urban agriculture director brings fresh produce to those in need

“At first glance, the urban Atlanta neighborhood of Washington Park doesn’t seem a likely place for an organic farm. But at the corner of Lawton Street and Westview Drive in west Atlanta, the non-profit organization Truly Living Well’snew Collegetown Garden brims with organic cabbages, kale, turnips, beets, carrots and more, all thriving in tidy rows of planter boxes. Pear, plum and apple trees blossom radiantly in the early spring sun, and a busy hive of honeybees buzzes away nearby.”

“This can really be a lighthouse for nutrition for this neighborhood,” says Mario Cambardella, the City of Atlanta’s first director of urban agriculture. Some might zero in on the signs of urban neglect and decay just outside the garden gates, but Cambardella is quick to point out the historic homes, the nearby elementary school and, on a street-facing the end of Truly Living Well’s new garden, the site of a future farmers’ market for the food being grown there.

“This is really building the local food economy. Urban agriculture can really transform a community.”

Read the FULL STORY at: “MyAJC.com“

‘Gangsta Gardener’ Ron Finley Speaks in Pensacola

“Finley is nationally renowned for his efforts to cultivate sustainable food gardens in underserved neighborhoods. He’s traveled the country helping other communities replicate his successes, and this week he’s sharing his experiences with Pensacola-area students, service providers and citizens.”

“The same problems you guys have been having, with health problems and food insecurity, are all over the United States,” Finley told a group of service providers Tuesday at the United Way of Escambia County.

To read the FULL STORY, visit: “PNJ.com“

Urban Farmers Grow Veggies in Freight Containers

“Freight Farms started in 2010 with the goal of bringing viable, space-efficient farming techniques to all climates and skill levels year-round. It recently expanded to Arizona.

The cars are not cheap. Each container — the kind commonly seen on trains, trucks or ships — costs $85,000, not including shipping. Freight Farms calculates annual profit for each container to be an average of $39,000 annually.”

To read the entire story, visit: “USAToday.com“

North End Urban Farm Converts a Fire-Ravaged House into an Outdoor Community Space

“The Michigan Urban Farming Initiative (MUFI) announced today that it would be transforming a blighted home into a 16,000 gallon water cistern. The home was torn down to reveal the foundation, which will be used to capture rain water.

According to a press release, “it will prevent water run-off into Detroit’s sewer system, reduce the reliance on the grid, and irrigate MUFI’s adjacent two-acre urban farm.”

Read the WHOLE STORY at: “MetroTimes.com“

Meet The Woman Rescuing Millions of Honey Bees

“Meet Hilary Kearney of Girl Next Door Honey, a local hero for the struggling honeybees across the USA. Bee populations have been on the decline for decades due to pesticides, loss of habitat, and climate change. Hilary is working to raise San Diego’s bee population and spread awareness among her community. She rescues bees, teaches about them, photographs, and manages 90 colonies of bees! When bees make a hive or swarm where they are unwanted, a pest control company usually exterminates them. But not if Hilary has anything to do with it! She rescues the bees and relocates them to a place where they can lead happy, healthy lives. Most of the bees she rescues are put into a bee friendly backyard as part of her Host-A-Hive program, so people can benefit from bees in their own backyard while Hilary does the maintenance and work. She’s created a network of over 30 backyard hives all over San Diego, and sells the backyard honey locally so she can rescue more bees and teach more people! She teaches hundreds of new beekeepers each year with classes and workshops on sustainable, natural beekeeping.”

Inspired to be a part of the solution to help the honeybees in your community? Here’s what you can do:

-Plant a variety of bee friendly flowers in your yard
-Don’t use any pesticides in your garden, lawn, or house
-Buy real, local honey from a bee keeper
-Don’t exterminate bees, Have them rescued instead

video via: Rob Greenfield, You-tube

CAPPA to Embark on Urban Farming Project

“The College of Architecture, Planning and Public Affairs is embarking on a project to demonstrate one of UTA’s Strategic Plan 2020 themes — Sustainable Urban Communities.

The Urban Farming Project consists of three components: Urban Farm, Farm-to-Table Café and Urban Farming Certificate.

The project was a result of gathering input from students, architecture dean Nan Ellin said. The No. 1 request was for a café where students can meet, eat and study, she said.”

Read more about this project at: “TheShortHorn.com“

JOIN THE SEED CLUB! Tell Us About Your Garden NOW…

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MARYLAND COUNCIL PASSES TAX CREDIT FOR URBAN FARMS

“They’ve been, in my view, over-taxed as long as they’ve been farming,” Hucker said. “They are not taxed as a farm, which they are. They’re taxed as a single-family home. They’re not eligible for the agricultural tax credit because of an arbitrary rule of state law that says farms have to be over five acres.”

The bill applies to properties ranging in size from one-half acre to less than three acres that are also located in or within 1,000 feet of a Metro Station Policy Area.

Read more about this new TAX Break at: “SourceOfTheSpring.com“

Green Beans and Carrots in Tomato Sauce

Vegetables are one of those things that everyone could stand to eat a little more of (or a lot more of in some cases).  I have never heard anyone say that they regretted eating vegetables or their goal is to eat less vegetables…have you?  I enjoy vegetables just about any way I can get them.  Most vegetables are delicious in my book.  I will admit that I am not the biggest fan of radishes but I find ways to enjoy them, pickled radishes are pretty tasty.  Green beans, although technically a legume, are easy for me to enjoy.  Lightly steamed, they make the perfect snack.  Others may need a little more flavor.  So I have an easy way to add more flavor (and nutrients) to your green beans.  Green Beans and Carrots in Tomato Sauce.

The funny thing is that I remember hating green beans as a kid.  A big reason for that is that sometimes we would have them canned.  Let me tell you there is nothing worse then canned vegetables.  No wonder I didn’t enjoy them at the time.  My mom did eventually start making frozen green beans but would then coat them in a white sauce made from milk and white flour.  Not exactly the picture of a healthy side dish.  But I give her credit because it did get me to eat my green beans.  These days I opt for something a little more nutritious.

This dish is super simple to throw together and reheats very well.  One tip I always give for being able to eat real food every night for dinner is to make extra when you are taking the time and effort to cook.  Leftovers are a blessing when you don’t have the time or energy to make something from scratch 7 nights per week.  Some of my favorite vegetables dishes to make lots of are Spiced Tahini Cauliflower and Ginger Miso Spaghetti Squash. Have something ready to go in your fridge or freezer.  You could easily freeze these green bean leftovers to have on hand when you need something in a pinch.  Cheers to more vegetables!

Green Beans and Carrots in Tomato Sauce

 

Print

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

25 mins

Total time

30 mins

 

Author: Sara

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil or ghee
• 2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger (about 2 inches)
• 3 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• Fresh green beans, cut into 1 inch pieces (or use frozen)
• 1 large carrot, cut into 1 inch sticks (about 1 cup)
• ¼ cup tomato paste
• ½-1 teaspoon salt, to taste
• 1½- 2 cups water

Instructions

1. In a large sauté pan melt the fat.
2. Add the garlic and ginger and sauté 1-2 minutes in the fat.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients and allow the tomato/water mixture to come to a low boil.
4. Cover and allow the vegetables to steam about 5 minutes.
5. Remove the cover and allow the sauce to thicken while continuing to cook the vegetables, about 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. When done the carrots should be softened, the green beans cooked but crisp, and the tomato sauce thick enough to nicely coat the vegetables.

3.4.3177

 

 

The post Green Beans and Carrots in Tomato Sauce appeared first on The Organic Dietitian.

SPRING is here! Start growing TODAY with UOG’s Seed & Garden Club.

Happy Spring! It’s FINALLY HERE! Time to start planting your spring and summer gardens, regardless of where you live or what type of space you have to work with.When you join the UOG Seed & Garden Club, you are joining a community dedicated to helping you grow organic food all-year-round.

Each month you will receive a fully customized collection of totally raw un-treated GMO-FREE Heirloom seeds and garden supplies. Everything will be delivered to you at just the right time of the year – based on your grow zone – growing conditions – location – preferences – and more. 

Join the UOG Seed Club today and let’s grow together. We promise to make this a rewarding & exciting experience for you. 

Sign Up Today! http://ift.tt/1Su1g8E

Urban Farming ‘Produces More Than Just Food’

“Urban agriculture – the cultivation of crops and animals in an urban environment – is known to increase access to healthy food. It is particularly important for poorer people in cities where food is mainly accessed through cash purchases. Healthy fresh fruit and vegetables are more expensive per kilogramme than many of the processed foods. But these are low in fibre and high in artificial flavouring.

In many African cities, urban agriculture is one of the main ways that fresh produce is supplied to local markets. For example in Dakar, Kinshasa and Accra almost all the leafy greens you can buy are grown in the city itself.

While urban agriculture in Cape Town, South Africa, might not play as significant a role in the city’s food system overall, the 6,000 urban farmers who are growing their own food and selling surplus on Cape Town’s Cape Flats find it an irreplaceable part of their livelihoods.”

Read the FULL ARTICLE at: “FruitNet.com“

The Benefits of Eating Colorful Foods [INFO-GRAPHIC]

 Produced by Swissotel Hotels & Resorts

Urban Farms Continue To Be On The Rise

“The New York City urban farm has moved from a scene to a movement. Foodies, growers, chefs, non-profits and artists converge to get ever more creative in how to utilize space in the city for growing fruits and vegetables. Swale by artist Mary Mattingly has taken to putting a farm out on the water. Chicago’s O’Hare airport has installed an aeroponic, or vertical, farm. From hotels to restaurants, urban farming so far has been highly specialized and for hyper-local food distribution like Brooklyn Grange’s two food markets and neighborhood CSA. “This is truly seed-to-plate agriculture, with no use of fossil fuels, people walk over from where they live, and go home with produce that was picked that morning.” says Anastasia Cole Plakias, Brooklyn Grange’s vice president and founding partner.”

Read the rest of this story at: “PSFK.com“

Urban Farm to Feed Most Food Insecure Residents

“the problem with local food right now is that it is very expensive. We would like to see local food affordable because it is part of the access issue. A lot of people talk about food deserts and I totally agree not having not having a grocery store makes a big difference, but when tomatoes are three dollars a pound or four dollars a pound or cucumbers are a dollar each-that’s also an accessibility issue because people cannot afford to buy this produce”

“Flanner Farms will sprout this year on the 2½-acre campus of Flanner House.  It’s not a community garden, but instead a working farm. A weekly farmers market will offer a portion of the farm’s organic produce at below-retail prices.”

Read the rest of this story at: “WFYI.org“

Proposed Lincoln Project Combines Farm and Urban Housing

A developer is planning a project in north Lincoln that would combine urban housing and working farms, merge small cottages with traditional single-family homes, maintain a wetland area and encourage composting.

…”about two-thirds of the development will be green space and could potentially be used for community gardens, fruit trees and large animals, and composting would be encouraged to improve the soil for gardening.

He said turning some of the area into a working farm will ease the difficulty of sustaining the property financially. He also said some housing will be laneway cottages, which are smaller houses but still bigger than tiny homes. The laneway cottages with single-stall garages are expected to sell for around $150,000.”

Read more of this at: “USNews.com“

A D.C. Urban Farm Takes on Urban Problems

“It’s like a food system in a box — in one space, in one community,” said Christopher Bradshaw, executive director of Dreaming Out Loud. The D.C. food justice nonprofit is partnering with the city and a half-dozen other organizations to run the farm in a way that generates revenue while also meeting the community’s unique needs. “I don’t know too many places combining those things,” Bradshaw said.

“With $150,000 in seed money from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) — through programs promoting farmers’ markets and specialty crops — and a mix of other local grants, the founders plan to build infrastructure such as hoop houses and a greenhouse while transforming a gutted shipping container into a commercial kitchen space. Construction is scheduled to begin in the spring and be completed by midsummer.”

Read the FULL ARTICLE, here: “GreenBiz.com“

Urban Farm Bill Passes in Montgomery County, MD

“The more we can grow healthy food close by, and reduce the food miles, the greenhouse gas footprint of bringing food from all over and the more we can create an opportunity for local students in an urban environment like Silver Spring to come right here and see where their food comes from,” said Councilman Hucker.

“There are safeguards in place that prevent just anyone with a backyard garden from getting a tax break. You have to live within a residential area and 1,000 feet from a Metro stop, and earn at least $5,000 annually from the farm.”

Read the FULL Article, at: “WJLA.com“

Students Give Food Science Lab a Green Thumbs Up

“Hydroponics farms are hot in Chicago, with new farms sprouting up all over the city. But finding experienced hydroponics workers can be tough, so a local chef decided it was time for Chicago to grow its own. His program in a Northwest Side high school offers students the chance to get their hands dirty – and wet – growing greens in a working hydroponics farm.”

Read the full article at: “ChicagoTonight.wttw.com“

Gardening for Physical and Mental Health

“As well as providing exercise and boosting energy levels, gardening has a whole range of benefits for you to make the most of no matter what your age! Whether you have your own garden, flat, communal garden or an allotment, get outdoors and enjoy nature and start reaping all the benefits for your physical and mental health, which is especially beneficial for seniors for keeping fit and mobile.”

Read the full article at: “http://ift.tt/1DlHsLb“

Prinzessinnengarten (Urban Gardening in Berlin)

Marco Clausen, co-founder of the Prinzessinnengarten in Berlin, speaks about “new forms of urban life” and the uncertain future of the urban agriculture project.

“We focus not just on maintaining the garden here but on the overall question: How do we deal with public space in Berlin?”

From the upcoming documentary, “Promises of Urban Agriculture.” Follow it here: http://ift.tt/2lWmxh4

Homemade Herbal Coffee

Ah coffee.  How much do we love you?  I can’t scroll Instagram without seeing at least one coffee related meme.  Things like, “Life without coffee is like me without sleep.  Neither are recommended.”  Or “I know how to cure my coffee withdrawal, more coffee.”  I was and still am a lover of coffee.  I didn’t start drinking coffee until I graduated college and got my first full time job.  At the time I am sure I used it to help me wake up in the morning.  Adjusting to an early work schedule wasn’t easy.  As life progressed I just did it as a morning ritual and I have grown to love the taste.  So why am I now drinking Homemade Herbal Coffee?  Great question!

A few months ago I ran a full hormone panel on myself, something that I do with my female clients often.  The results showed that my cortisol levels were pretty low all day long.  A sign of HPA Axis Disregulation, or adrenal fatigue.  There can be numerous causes including stress, inflammation, blood sugar issues, over-exercising, and infections.  It is usually a progression of things that happen over time.

Caffeine can over-stimulate the adrenals, which can lead to further fatiguing when the caffeine wears off.  If you are experiencing low energy levels, you might find yourself getting through the day by kicking your adrenals with coffee or beverages containing caffeine (or even with sweets or chocolate).  This can make you feel better temporarily but in the long run you are at risk for exhausting your adrenals even more, leading them down a even worse path.  Even if you don’t have an adrenal or caffeine issue I usually recommend taking occasional breaks from coffee to give your body time off.

Switching to decaffeinated coffee isn’t the solution either, since decaf coffee still contains some and even still significant amounts of caffeine.  You may want to slowly wean yourself off caffeine especially if you consider yourself extremely dependent.  In the end I switched to decaf but then decided I really needed to quit all together to allow my body to heal.  This may sound impossible to some but in the end your body with thank you!  In an effort to satisfy my morning cup of Joe I tried numerous brands of herbal coffees.  Some were better than others.  Two of my favorites if you don’t want to make it yourself are…Dandy Blend and Teechino Dandelion Dark Roast or Dandelion Caramel Nut.

But the best herbal coffee I have had was a blend made by a local business.  I set out to create a version that I could make myself at home.  This Homemade Herbal Coffee is great iced or hot.  When I drink it cold I add a splash of full fat coconut milk.  Enjoying it hot, I make a latte by adding a scoop of collagen peptides, a drizzle of raw honey, some almond milk and mix it in my blender to create a foamy drink.

Coffee does have some studies supporting its health benefits but when you have adrenal issues or your body doesn’t tolerate caffeine for some other reason, these benefits go out the window.  Herbs and spices can have just as many (if not more) health supportive benefits.

Chicory| It can stimulate the liver, cleanse the spleen, gallbladders, and kidneys.  It is often used as a substitute or ingredient in coffee but it has no caffeine.

Dandelion Root|  It can remove pesticides, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, and toxins that collect in your joints.

Milk Thistle|  This is a valuable herb to strengthen your liver.  A health liver can boost your resistance to disease and help you recover from illnesses more quickly.  It is your big detoxifying organ and secretes bile to stimulate digestive juices that breakdown nutrients from food so that we can absorb them.

Chaga|  A mushroom that has an abundance of Beta-D-Glucans which help balance the response of the body’s immune system (source).  This means that chaga helps boosts the immune system when necessary, but slows it down when it’s overactive.

Cinnamon|  A popular spice that can support health blood sugar levels, support a healthy inflammatory response (source), and also can act like an antioxidant.

Cardamom|  One of my favorite spices, it possesses many known health benefits including supporting the gastrointestinal tract (source).

I still crave the taste off coffee and hope to introduce it back into my live one day but for now herbal coffee is my morning comfort and I hope you can find some joy in it too!

Homemade Herbal Coffee

 

Print

Prep time

10 mins

Total time

10 mins

 

Author: Sara

Serves: 1½ cups

Ingredients

• 1½ teaspoons cardamom seeds
• 1 cinnamon stick, crushed into bits (use a mortar and pestle or pulse in a blender)
• ⅔ cup roasted chicory granules
• ¼ cup coarse chaga
• ¼ cup dandelion root
• 2 tablespoons milk thistle, crusted into bits (use a mortar and pestlel or pulse in a blender)

Instructions

1. Mix all of the herbs and spices together.
2. Store in an airtight container.
3. To make herbal add 1 tablespoon of the dry mix to every 8 ounces of hot water and let steep for 10 minutes (I use a coffee press). You can use tea or just strain out the mix with a strainer.
4. Hot Latte: 1 scoop collagen peptides, ¼ cup almond milk, 1 teaspoon raw honey, hot herbal coffee and blend in a blender. Serve.
5. Iced Herbal Coffee: After steeping and straining the coffee put it in a glass jar and stick it in the fridge to cool overnight. Serve as desired.

Notes

NOTE: You can reuse the mix for at least 2 batches of coffee. Sometimes I just add a small scoop to the mixture I already steeped just to boost the flavor and color.

3.4.3177

 

The post Homemade Herbal Coffee appeared first on The Organic Dietitian.

Urban Farm Gives Innovative Look at Recovery Process

“Gro Huntington is a healing urban farm located in a residential neighborhood in Huntington with a volunteer program centered around serving individuals in addiction recovery in the area. By working on the farm, individuals learn job skills and coping mechanisms to give them a better chance at a successful recovery, Harrison said.”

CLARK DAVIS / WV PUBLIC BROADCASTING

“Through gardening, clients will learn to provide. Through yoga and meditation, clients learn to cope.”

“Successful recovery comes from having those coping mechanisms established,” she said. “They know stuff is going to get hard but that they can ‘return to my breath and calm myself down.’ The other aspect of that is having a job established.”

To read the full story, visit: “Herald-Dispatch.com“

Urban Farm Providing Affordable Healthy Options

“People in New Town said they just don’t have many resources for healthy living. That’s why, a  community garden through Urban Geoponics is hoping to change that by providing healthy food that are affordable.

The garden is located at the Urban Farm at 3rd and Pearce streets in New Town.

“We have lemon trees, cocktail, broccoli, cauliflower trees…” said Urban Farm CEO Diallo Sekou.

Families unable to shop at a grocery store can get fresh fruits and veggies at a good price. There’s even an outdoor kitchen to teach better cooking.”

Read the entire article at: “News4Jax.com“