Grow Your Own - Urban Farming's Challenge to Corporate Agriculture

[ensho]

http://counterpunch.com/gray02172010.html


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Understanding the history of agriculture in America and the advent of industrialized corporate agribusiness is important to help all of us understand where we are now and what needs to be done. We will touch upon it here, but only briefly. But how corporate agribusiness weaves into our lives at virtually all levels has been insidious. It’s time to turn this around.

-snip-

Corporate involvement in agriculture has also largely been intensified since post-Second World War. Some refer to it inappropriately as the “green revolution” – it should instead be called the “corporate chemical revolution”. It has led to the industrialization even of the basics of the food system and that being seeds. Whoever controls the seeds controls agriculture and farmers have historically been the caretakers of this most important and invaluable resource. Corporate America, the likes of Monsanto and others, have patented and genetically modified many of these precious seeds and by doing so have taken farmers, as much as possible, out of competition and away from being the caretakers of our food system.

When making the above statement about seeds, however, it’s important to mention also that many farmers and community groups throughout the world have taken action to counter this trend by saving seeds and therefore protecting our heritage seeds as much as possible. Organic farmers will access this important resource or save the seeds themselves for the next year’s crop as farmers have always done historically and that corporate agribusiness has been trying to prevent.

-snip-

The hopeful sign in America is that in the last agriculture census in 2007 we have seen an increase in the number of small farmers in America and an increase in women farmers. We are also seeing an increase in farmers markets and direct marketing (farmer-to-consumer) generally across the country. These are positive signs. This is somewhat countered by the loss of middle range farmers and more consolidation of huge corporate farms as indicated in the 2007 census. Nevertheless, we are witnessing some positive changes in the agriculture landscape in America.

We are also seeing an increase in urban agriculture in America. With it jobs are being created along with healthy, fresh affordable produce all of which are now beginning to become available in communities throughout the country. Even Tom Vilsack, Obama’s Secretary of Agriculture, has created an urban garden right on the property of the United States Department of Agriculture in Washington DC. The First Lady Michelle Obama has also initiated a garden on the White House grounds. The trend is a positive one.

-snip-

It seems that turning away from relying on corporate America to generate wealth and well-being is perhaps one of the most valid positions we can take right now. We can do this by strengthening our locally owned and controlled economies, keeping wealth in our own communities and even and especially by growing our own food.

Heather Gray is the producer of "Just Peace" on WRFG-Atlanta 89.3 FM covering local, regional, national and international news. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia and can be reached at [e-mail]

K. Rashid Nuri is an organic urban farmer and agricultural educator in Atlanta, Georgia. He brings forty years of experience to this work. Rashid has lived and worked in over 30 countries around the world. He has managed public, private and community-based food and agriculture businesses. Rashid served four years as a Senior USDA Executive in the Clinton administration. He is a graduate of Harvard College, where he studied Political Science, and has a M.S. in Plant and Soil Science from the University of Massachusetts. He can be reached at [e-mail]
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Spring is just around the corner. are you ready to Garden! be it in inner cities or burbs or country.

a most harmonious activity.

[BakedAtAMileHigh]

1. I garden year 'round!

It is fun, easy and promotes independence and good nutrition. All organic too!

[igfoth]

6. Yup Grow your Own

That way you know what you are getting and not get ripped off!!!!

[DeschutesRiver]

13. I live in the high desert, short season, challenging frosts, etc through June

in fact, while I've had tomatoes grow here, they usually don't ripen by the end of season, and I have to bring the green tomatoes indoors to finish. But last year, I started two tomato plants inside, and to my delight, they haven't quit producing ripe lovely tomatoes - I just had some with a salad last night, and I can't believe the taste.

I'd thought I had to have a greenhouse, but I plan to experiment with just how much my home can function as one (we have a lot of light inside due to the design). Tried potatoes outdoors last year - big hit, will do more this year. Squash, cukes, etc all outside - yum.

I am still blown away by having sweet tomatoes of my own, instead of those cardboard tasting things they sell in the winter here. And mine taste 1000 times better than even the hydroponically grown ones they are selling. And yep to the organic aspect, too, of my produce. I want to try lettuce, chard and a few other things inside. Territorial Seed Company had seeds specifically for greenhouse situations, and I also bought some seeds from Seed Savers to try.

Probably the only thing I'll still need is local fruits, but there are orchards in a town called Kimberly (few hours away), and I've picked up their peaches, apples, and apricots, and frozen them for winter use (well, I made apricot brandy out of the aps:).

[Gormy Cuss]

25. To extend the season you can also use a cold frame rather than a full size greenhouse.

They're cheap to make and will extend your season both in the Spring and Fall. Eliot Coleman wrote a great book about year round gardening in Maine using cold frames.
http://www.chelseagreen.com/content/winter-gardening-build-your-own-cold-frame-part-1/

It's great that you have enough indoor light for growing. I know someone in Zone 4 who uses a sun room as a greenhouse with a fair amount of success.

[DeschutesRiver]

26. What a wonderful link! Thanks so much for that::)

We've been collecting free windows for a couple of years (there was a building boom here, and people were tossing out all their old glass for new), intending them for a greenhouse. But I am now thinking I will use some of them to build a cold frame. I'd been concerned about how big to build a greenhouse, ie how to heat it without spending a fortune.

Just today, dh was asking if I planned to try some lettuce starts indoors, so we both itching to "garden" already, despite the snow on the ground. Building a cold frame will be a fun project to start now. And I will look up Coleman's book - more thanks:)

[opihimoimoi]

2. Concept is band aid level...needs a larger solution...jus sayin...

Come, we go plant Lychee trees...Kaimana Strain...Xtra Large, super sweet, w tiny n
seeds

Come, we plan for larger crops and systems to promote more food on any given piece of land,,,we use advanced hydroponics...

Come, we intercrop, minimize waste....recycle, water=precious...

Come, we invest in advanced Mari Culture...More Fish, less Spam

Come, we go think BIG....

[ensho]

4. kick

nt

[Hekate]

7. I'm so laaaazy. I planted trees, though: 4 kine guava, 1 loquat, 1 almond, 1 avocado...

1 Meyer lemon, 1 kumquat, plus we already had a Mexican lime tree. I wonder if Lychee would grow here....

The loquat was from my sister in law, who started one from a seed from her grandma's tree when she was just a kid, then wherever she moved after that in her life, she planted more trees from seeds from the trees she had. I think of her as Jenny Loquat Tree now.

For instant greens, we have arugula all over the yard from one little tiny pot I got several years ago. It turned into a prodigious weed, which is great as far as I'm concerned because I don't have to do anything but pick'em and eat'em. ;-) I collect their seeds and give them away with bundles of the greens.

Lots of herbs in big pots. Some of those go native, too, and I find them tucked away here and there.

My SIL and BIL have turned their yard into the Garden of Eatin', but they're not lazy like me and Mr H.

The point is, I know that even a small yard like theirs and ours is capable of producing a LOT of groceries if you work it. There's a nice movement in our area to turn front yards into veggie gardens. I bet you have a nice garden, Opi.

Hekate

[opihimoimoi]

20. Aloha Sistah....Hope all is OK::: My Garden is part old and part new

We just harvested sweet potatoes and have a constant supply of grn onions(like everyone else)

Mostly flowers and small plants...my wife and daughter handles those.

I just started gourds for ipo

buah beans

Ho'io eating fern

Water chest nuts(Orient) da real kine for soups and pork hash

Mint

and now we are experimenting with Lychee grown in containers for Large Bonsai ...fed properly, I suspect I gonna get super sized fruit and super sweet...I use Fan Palm tree leaves burnt to ashes,
very high in potash...excellent for sweetness...

Are u into hydroponics?? It lends itself to pot planting...large and small...

Google the sumnabitch...mucho info...

anyways...didn;t mean to bore you...LOL

Laters....Opi

[jtrockville]

3. MObamma was my inspiration.

If she can have an organic garden, so can I!
I've already ordered my seeds. Can't wait to get started.

[Yurovsky]

24. Glad to see she's made an impact...

if more people ate home grown veggies, we'd solve about 100 different problems in this country, from obesity to global warming to salmonella outbreaks ...

[proudohioan]

5. I'm trying my damnedest!

I recently read the book "Cheap-the High Cost of Discount Culture" by Ellen Ruppel Shell. It was a real eye-opener (without being 'preachy') and did touch on the subject of Agri-farming. Since then, I have been exploring alternatives to the corporate chain supermarket. Luckily enough, I live fairly close to an Amish community, which does sell some goods at a local farmers market (yes, even during winter). Once you start exploring, there will probably be more organic and local resources than expected.

Thanks for the OP.

[bvar22]

8. !...Health & Economic concerns aside, .....

...we would do this if only for the taste!


This will be our 4th Growing Season since moving here from the Big City (Minneapolis) to start Growing our Own. We are still in an experimental stage, finding out what grows well here and what is more trouble than it is worth. With a couple of exceptions, we are actively limiting our planting to produce just enough for our own consumption, with surplus going to neighbors.


Everybody in this area grows Tomatoes, Squash, Corn, Melons, Okra, Peppers, and Green Beans.
You can't even give them away. So we are focusing on finding and developing niches that aren't so common, and crops that are easily preserved by drying (Blueberries, grapes, herbs & spices).

Just say "NO" to Factory Produced Food Like Substances.

[Morning Dew]

17. I knew I'd find bvar22 in this thread. You have the best garden pictures.

Waving from Minneapolis. :)

[bvar22]

19. Still miss the Twin Cities.

It was such an adventure to live there.
Multi-Cultural excitement, The People, Blue City Liberalism, Art, Food...FOOD, The U, The Parks, The Lakes, The History, The Entertainment, The Variety, The Bicycles, The River, Minnehaha Falls......
Just a beautiful, exciting, spiritual place.

and the Winters are SPECTACULAR (as long as you aren't commuting.)

Still have some photos up from the Twin Cities if you're interested:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=160&topic_id=21876

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=160&topic_id=21150

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=160&topic_id=21095

[Morning Dew]

21. Wow, those photos are great. Thanks for re-sharing them.

I hadn't seen them before.

I'd miss it here too, if I moved... but fifty some Wisconsin and Minnesota Winters are getting to me. Nah, too much family here, I'll probably never leave.

[Javaman]

9. Growing your own is fine, but saving your seeds is where it's at.

people still have to buy starter plants or packets of seeds. And most of those, if not organic, are produced my huge corporations.

Save your seeds, cut them off at the knees.

[corpseratemedia]

10. +1

[igfoth]

11. Does not work in all cases

many seeds today are engineered to not grow when replanted.

[AlecBGreen]

14. not really

except for 1) hybrids and 2) GM cash crops like corn & soybeans, all seeds should be fine to save and replant next year. Not all will be true to form (cross pollination) but you'll get something edible at least.

[Javaman]

16. did you even read my comment?

"people still have to buy starter plants or packets of seeds. And most of those, if not organic, are produced my huge corporations."

Ergo, buy organic seeds.

Organic seeds and suicide seeds are two completely different animals.

[Arugula Latte]

18. Sidenote: "Suicide Seeds" would be a good band name.

[conscious evolution]

12. +2

[Echo In Light]

15. K&R

[Mopar151]

22. The unoffical theme song of the home gardener

Guy Clark
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-QzLIjL1u4

[SpiralHawk]

23. clap

clap

[borderjumpers]

27. U.S. Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Charles Ray, on Agricultural Development in Zimbabwe

This is the first in a series of blogs where we’ll be asking policy makers, politicians, non-profit and organizational leaders, journalists, celebrities, chefs, musicians, and farmers to share their thoughts—and hopes—for agricultural development in Africa. Cross posted from http://blogs.worldwatch.org/nourishingtheplanet/u-s-ambassador-to-zimbabwe-charles-ray-on-agricultural-development-in-zimbabwe/">Nourishing the Planet

Last week, I had the privilege of meeting with the new U.S. ambassador to Zimbabwe, Charles Ray. Ambassador Ray was gracious enough to take the time to answer my questions about agricultural development in a country facing political turmoil, high unemployment, and high food prices.

<strong>What do you think is needed in Zimbabwe to both improve food security and farmers incomes?</strong>

Over the past decade, Zimbabwean small holder farmers have endured a litany of economic, political, and social shocks as well as several droughts and floods resulting in the loss of their livelihoods and food security. Poverty for small holder farmers has greatly increased throughout the country.

In order to restore farmers’ livelihoods they need to be supported in a process of sustainable private sector-driven agricultural recovery to achieve tangible household-level impact in food security and generate more household income, as well to promote more rural employment.

The U.S. government through USAID is doing this by supporting programs that provide effective rural extension, trainings and demonstration farms in order to improve farm management by small holder producers. The programs also include support for inputs and market linkages between the farmers and agro-processers, exporters and buyers. These programs are broad-based and cover all communal small holder farmers throughout the country.

The result of this work is increased production, and productivity, lowered crop production costs and losses, improved product quality, and production mix and increasing on-farm value-adding. Together these programs are increasing food security and farmer’s incomes as well as generating more farmer income and rural employment of agro-business.

At present, the U.S. is the largest provider of direct food aid in Zimbabwe. We are working with our partners to move from food aid to food security assistance which will use more market oriented approaches and combine livelihoods programs as noted above, which will reduce the need for food distribution.

<strong>Do you think Zimbabwe needs more private sector investment? If so, what are ways the U.S. government and other donors can help encourage both domestic and foreign investment?</strong>

Zimbabwe certainly needs more foreign direct investment. There is little chance that the country can internally generate the investments required to promote the economic growth it needs without it. But it is the government of Zimbabwe that is responsible for creating the business enabling environment to attract investment including both foreign and national.

At present, much more needs to be done in policy and the legal and regulatory framework and in the rhetoric and actions by the government in order to create the environment conducive to attract investment. Without the clear will of the government to be FDI-friendly there is not much that the donors can do.