Urban Agriculture

What are we supporting by developing urban agriculture programs?

Emily TonerUrban Agriculture Educator

Iowa State University

University of Wisconsin - Madison

I. What is urban agriculture?II. Types of urban agricultureIII. Opportunities for urban farmersIV. Challenges for urban farmersV. Purdue Extension ProgramsVI. Financial trade-offs

I. What is urban agriculture?“The growing, processing and distribution of food crops and animal products

— by and for the local community — within an urban environment.”

University of Missouri Extension

Photo credit: Big City Farms,

Indianapolis, IN

II. Types of urban agricultureCommunity garden

Market farm

Institution-driven farm or garden

Urban homestead

II. Types of urban agricultureCommunity garden

Fall Creek Gardens, Indianapolis, INPhoto credit: fallcreekgardens.org

II. Types of urban agricultureMarket Farm

Big City Farms, Indianapolis, INPhoto credit: Big City Farms newsletter

Growing Places, Indianapolis, INPhoto credit: Emily Toner

II. Types of urban agricultureInstitution-driven farm or garden

Paramount School of Excellence, Indianapolis, INPhoto credit: Emily Toner

Eskenazi Hospital Sky Farm, Indianapolis, INPhoto credit: EskenaziHealth.edu

II. Types of urban agricultureUrban Homestead

Residential backyard, Pasadena, CAPhoto credit: EcoWatch.com

III. Opportunities for urban farmers

Market access

Highly customized system

Multidimensional focus possible

III. Opportunities for urban farmersMarket access, direct market sales opportunities are abundant and farm-to-table

restaurants are nearby

Broad Ripple Farmers’ Market, Indianapolis, INPhoto credit: DoingIndy.com

Bluebeard, Indianapolis, INImage credit: Bluebeard.com

III. Opportunities for urban farmersHighly customized system

Butler University Center for Urban Ecology Farm, Indianapolis, INPhoto credit: Butler University Center for Urban Ecology

III. Opportunities for urban farmersHighly customized system

Purdue Extension – Marion County Demonstration Garden, Indianapolis, INPhoto credit: Steve Mayer

III. Opportunities for urban farmersMultidimensional focus possible

Growing Places Indy, Indianapolis, INPhoto credit: Growing Places Indy

IV. Challenges for urban farmersSoil quality: Contaminants, compaction, subsoil

Water: Access

Policy: Zoning

Learning curve: Beginning farmers, small peer network

IV. Challenges for urban farmersSoil quality: Contaminants, compaction, subsoil

Water: Access

Udorthents

IV. Challenges for urban farmersPolicy: Zoning

IV. Challenges for urban farmersSoil quality: Contaminants, compaction, subsoil

Water: Access

Policy: Zoning

Learning curve: Beginning farmers, small peer network

V. Purdue Extension programs

An intensive training opportunity for

urban agriculture project leaders that

takes the through strategic planning,

site assessment, site design, crop

planning and the basics of organic

vegetable production and harvest.

Mission: IndyGrown supports a

cooperative network of urban farms by

raising awareness of urban farming in

Indianapolis and connecting urban

farmers to one another and to

professional development opportunities.

Vision: IndyGrown’s vision is that

Indianapolis has a vibrant patchwork of

farms that provide an abundance of

healthy produce to citizens.

A network for beginning urban farmers

program to meet their peers and

access professional development

opportunities.

Beginning Farmer & Small Farm programs

Tours

Workshops

Field trips Three-day annual conference

VI. Financial trade-offsLower than traditional agriculture Higher than traditional agriculture

Tool investment Land prep and remediation

Machine labor Hand labor

Acreage Cost and return per acre

Thanks!

Emily TonerUrban Agriculture Educator