12.23.2012

Guerilla gardening in Bologna
Finally I’ve made it. A short break and a full agenda didn’t allow me to give you the so wanted examples of new initiatives to grow food. Here we go!

In the beginning of this month I did a little research which you can find here. I tried to find as much innovative ways to grow food in the cities. Although the well-informed have not yet finished their discussion on it yet, I think urban farming is a good thing to do anyway. Maybe it is a bit naïve to think it can solve the worlds’ most urgent problems but at least it can be a start. Urban farming gives us food, saves us fossil fuels and brings us back all kinds of (positive) energies. Besides that urban farming is a good way to show ‘the normal and the abnormal’ what it takes to foresee in our food requirements.

The possibilities for growing food in the city range from low-tech fruit picking from someone-elses fruittree to high-tech production with unaffordable LEDlights in empty offices. Don’t be scared to get dirty hands. I will offer you some options to choose from starting with the most feasible ones.

First of all do I want to advise you to give it a start. It might sound scary to start growing food, but it turns out to be fun when you can eat your own-created-harvest. Buy some seeds, find a good spot to place them in and see what happens. Don’t forget to give it some water every now and then off-course. The food growing spot doesn’t need to be big. Some creative minds have already found solutions for those who have a lack of space but a will to create harvest.

The lucky ones – those who have enough space to cultivate on – can really consider to feed themselves fully with their own produce. You can use a rooftop or an empty urban plot which are abundant thanks to the current crisis. Maybe you can even find some friends or neighbors to help you to maintain the garden. Here some useful suggestions to make it successful.

For the technicians amongst you I suggest to try and invent something new. Many went before you and successfully developed systems which allow people to grow food wherever they like. It might not look very natural but if there is no other option to choose it might be the only solution.

I hope these posts gives you a good boost of inspiration. Now it is time to celebrate Christmas and start a list of next year’s good intention. Guess what is on top of mine?