Urban Farms
Urban farms grow and produce food in a city or heavily populated town or municipality. The terms
urban farms, urban farming and urban agriculture are related though may have slightly different applications. For some, urban farms and community gardens are similar, and some community gardens may be urban farms. The primary distinction is that urban farms(ing) have a commercial side – growing products to be sold (plant-based & livestock). Urban farms have seen a dramatic increase in numbers in the last decade (Palmer, 2018), and can take any number of forms including gardens at private residential properties, CSAs, hydroponic greenhouses, indoor vertical farms, rooftop/park/school and community gardens. Each urban farm has particular goals, and may include education, environmental stewardship, sustainable practices, food access/food literacy/food security/food advocacy, along with food production and a physical location used as a community gathering spot.
Refer to category Landscapes for Health: Designed Landscapes subset community gardens, and category Food, Nutrition, and Food Action for related resources
urban farms, urban farming and urban agriculture are related though may have slightly different applications. For some, urban farms and community gardens are similar, and some community gardens may be urban farms. The primary distinction is that urban farms(ing) have a commercial side – growing products to be sold (plant-based & livestock). Urban farms have seen a dramatic increase in numbers in the last decade (Palmer, 2018), and can take any number of forms including gardens at private residential properties, CSAs, hydroponic greenhouses, indoor vertical farms, rooftop/park/school and community gardens. Each urban farm has particular goals, and may include education, environmental stewardship, sustainable practices, food access/food literacy/food security/food advocacy, along with food production and a physical location used as a community gathering spot.
Refer to category Landscapes for Health: Designed Landscapes subset community gardens, and category Food, Nutrition, and Food Action for related resources
> Key Organizations
USDA Alternative Farming Systems (Information)
Cooperative Extension offices: USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (local)
Community Supported Agriculture CSA listing by USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (local)
Urban Farming (global)
Cooperative Extension offices: USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (local)
Community Supported Agriculture CSA listing by USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (local)
Urban Farming (global)
> Books, journals & E-publications on urban farms
Blue-Green Systems journal
Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension
Kellogg, Scott T., et al. (2008). Toolbox for Sustainable City Living: A Do-It-Ourselves Guide. South End Press.
Local zoning bylaws
Urban Agriculture Tool Kit
Urban Farm Business Plan Handbook
Urban Agriculture State Legislation National: Conference of State Legislatures
U.S. Farm Bill
Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension
Kellogg, Scott T., et al. (2008). Toolbox for Sustainable City Living: A Do-It-Ourselves Guide. South End Press.
Local zoning bylaws
Urban Agriculture Tool Kit
Urban Farm Business Plan Handbook
Urban Agriculture State Legislation National: Conference of State Legislatures
U.S. Farm Bill
> RESEARCH & ARTICLES ON urban Farms
Recently published selected research & articles:
Audate, P.P., Fernandez, M.A., Cloutier, G. & Lebel, A. S. (2019). Scoping review of the impacts of urban agriculture on the determinants of health. BMC Public Health 19(1):672.
Dobbins, C.E., Cox, C.K., Edgar, L.D., Graham, D.L. & Philyaw Perez, A.G. (2020). Developing a local definition of urban agriculture: Context and implications for a rural state. The Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension 26(4):351-364.
George, D.R. (2013). Harvesting the biopsychosocial benefits of community gardens. Am J Public Health 103(8):e6.
Grebitus. C., Chenarides, L., Muenich, R. & Mahalov, A. (2020). Consumer perception of urban farming – An exploratory study. Front. Sustain. Food Syst. 12.
Hunold, C., Sorunmu, Y., Lindy, R., Spatari, S. & Gurian, P. (2017). Is urban agriculture financially sustainable? An exploratory study of small-scale market farming in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. J. Agric. Food Syst. Commun. Dev. 7:51–67.
Kwon, C.T., Heo, J., Lemmon, Z.H., Capua, Y., Hutton, S.F., Van Eck, J., Park, S.J. & Lippman, Z.B. (2020). Rapid customization of Solanaceae fruit crops for urban agriculture. Nat Biotechnol. 38(2):182-188.
Palmer, L. (2018). Urban agriculture growth in US cities. Nature Sustainability 1:5-7.
Schram-Bijkerk, D., Otte, P., Dirven, L. & Breure, A.M. I(2018). Indicators to support healthy urban gardening in urban management. Sci Total Environ. 621:863-871.
Strunk, C. & Richardson, M. (2019). Cultivating belonging: Refugees, urban gardens, and placemaking in the Midwest, USA. Social & Cultural Geography 20(6):826-848.
Surls, R., Feenstra, G., Golden, S., Galt, R., Hardesty, S., Napawan, C., et al. (2015). Gearing up to support urban farming in California: preliminary results of a needs assessment. Renew. Agric. Food Syst. 30:33–42.
Wielemaker, R., Oenema, O., Zeeman, G. & Weijma, J. (2019). Fertile cities: Nutrient management practices in urban agriculture. Sci. Total Environ. 668:1277–1288.
The rise of urban farming. Medium.com. (2019)
Audate, P.P., Fernandez, M.A., Cloutier, G. & Lebel, A. S. (2019). Scoping review of the impacts of urban agriculture on the determinants of health. BMC Public Health 19(1):672.
Dobbins, C.E., Cox, C.K., Edgar, L.D., Graham, D.L. & Philyaw Perez, A.G. (2020). Developing a local definition of urban agriculture: Context and implications for a rural state. The Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension 26(4):351-364.
George, D.R. (2013). Harvesting the biopsychosocial benefits of community gardens. Am J Public Health 103(8):e6.
Grebitus. C., Chenarides, L., Muenich, R. & Mahalov, A. (2020). Consumer perception of urban farming – An exploratory study. Front. Sustain. Food Syst. 12.
Hunold, C., Sorunmu, Y., Lindy, R., Spatari, S. & Gurian, P. (2017). Is urban agriculture financially sustainable? An exploratory study of small-scale market farming in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. J. Agric. Food Syst. Commun. Dev. 7:51–67.
Kwon, C.T., Heo, J., Lemmon, Z.H., Capua, Y., Hutton, S.F., Van Eck, J., Park, S.J. & Lippman, Z.B. (2020). Rapid customization of Solanaceae fruit crops for urban agriculture. Nat Biotechnol. 38(2):182-188.
Palmer, L. (2018). Urban agriculture growth in US cities. Nature Sustainability 1:5-7.
Schram-Bijkerk, D., Otte, P., Dirven, L. & Breure, A.M. I(2018). Indicators to support healthy urban gardening in urban management. Sci Total Environ. 621:863-871.
Strunk, C. & Richardson, M. (2019). Cultivating belonging: Refugees, urban gardens, and placemaking in the Midwest, USA. Social & Cultural Geography 20(6):826-848.
Surls, R., Feenstra, G., Golden, S., Galt, R., Hardesty, S., Napawan, C., et al. (2015). Gearing up to support urban farming in California: preliminary results of a needs assessment. Renew. Agric. Food Syst. 30:33–42.
Wielemaker, R., Oenema, O., Zeeman, G. & Weijma, J. (2019). Fertile cities: Nutrient management practices in urban agriculture. Sci. Total Environ. 668:1277–1288.
The rise of urban farming. Medium.com. (2019)
> Examples of urban farms
Cerasee Farm and Urban GreenWorks in Miami, FL. See also Cerasee Farm: Horticultural Therapy in the Inner City.
Common Roots Bi-Hi urban farm in Halifax, NS began as a partnership with the local/provincial health agency with a mission of combating food insecurity, provision of community gardening space & therapeutic services with a horticulture theme
Infinite Zion Farms Urban Farmers Alliance is located in a food desert in Apopka Fl.
Whitelock Community Farm in Baltimore, Maryland promotes gardening, composting & community activity
Common Roots Bi-Hi urban farm in Halifax, NS began as a partnership with the local/provincial health agency with a mission of combating food insecurity, provision of community gardening space & therapeutic services with a horticulture theme
Infinite Zion Farms Urban Farmers Alliance is located in a food desert in Apopka Fl.
Whitelock Community Farm in Baltimore, Maryland promotes gardening, composting & community activity
> Videos, webinars & websites on urban farms
Community Supported Agriculture listing from Florida Department of Agriculture
The Garden 2008 Documentary
USDA Urban Agriculture resources on urban agriculture toolkit, urban soil issues, CSAs, urban farm business plan handbook
USDA Community Supported Agriculture resources on CSAs, Farm to School, Food Circles
You Can Dig This Movie
The Garden 2008 Documentary
USDA Urban Agriculture resources on urban agriculture toolkit, urban soil issues, CSAs, urban farm business plan handbook
USDA Community Supported Agriculture resources on CSAs, Farm to School, Food Circles
You Can Dig This Movie
> Related organizations
EcoWatch
Greensgrow
Local farmers’ markets
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Greensgrow
Local farmers’ markets
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Written & compiled by Lesley Fleming, Daniela Perez Lugones Nov 2021