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Farming has been changing over the past 100 years, and it’s not just for people with barns. Scroll down to learn more about the past, present and future of urban farming.
Farms can be found everywhere today. While we typically think of farms as rural pastures with red barns, the city is increasingly taking on a new role in our food system. Urban farmers adapt to their surroundings and support local food systems just like rural farmers have done for ages.
Granary built in Mehrgarh for storage of excess food
First aqueduct constructed to bring water to Ninevah
Arab Agricultural Revolution
First practical greenhouse is created
John Deere invents steel plough
Farming in cities goes back to our earliest civilization. In Mesopotamia, buildings were constructed next to farms as urbanization flourished. Years have gone by since this process started and there have been many historical markers in urban farming. Click a blue dot below to read about a few of these milestones.
During World War I and World War II the United States required people to participate in the war effort whether they were fighting on the front line or at home. Through rationing, and investment the United States pushed people to support the nation through any means possible.
One popular way people in the United States showed support during World War I & II was through the utilization of urban land to grow food. People turned parks, public spaces and personal property into gardens across the nation. Farming in urban areas became commonplace and the movement gained ground.
Construction of the modern highway system has evolved over many decades. The Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956 marks the beginning of the highway system we know today. Being able to travel long distances so easily changed the way we viewed the difference between urban and rural.
People found that living outside a city along a major highway allowed for more personal space and a new way of existing. As people spread out over wider areas of land, new infrastructure was needed to support this suburban lanscape. The rural population and the agricultural jobs have been shrinking for decades.
The population in the USA has been changing dramatically over the last 110 years. People continue to move into cities at an incredible pace. Use the interactive timeline below and watch as the population shifts from rural to urban.
As urban population increased, people found themselves further from local food production. Many corporations stepped in to address this need. However, hidden consequences emerged. Pollution and lack of diversity in crops are just two impacts on the environment and health.
Monsanto sued by residents of Nitro, WV who suffered environmental and health problems tied to pollution of Agent Orange poison.
ConAgra has previously violated the Clean Water Act in Minnesota and been fined for nitrate pollution in Oregon.
Cargill Meat Solutions Corp. was fined after violating its National Pollution Discharge Elimination System permit in Colorado.
The US Department of Justice alleged that Bunge violated the Clean Air Act with modifications that increased emissions .
Pollution comes in many forms and the United States idustrial agricultural system produces direct and indirect harm to people in ways you may not even expect. One biproduct of large scale industrial livestock production is waste. This waste pollutes our water system and air supply, causing sickness and disease.
Average waste output:
lbs. per year of nitrogen &
lbs. per year of phosphorus
As the agricultural industry has taken over small production farming, and family farmers are forced out, the industry been moving towards being owned and operated by only a few very large companies. This reduces competition and allows large conglomerates to bypass and ignore the existing regulations in place. Below is a list of industries in 2009 and the percentage that the top four firms owned in each sector. Consolidation is happening at alarming rates.
Access to endless quick food options is typically a hallmark of urban living. The problem is that quick doesn't mean it's healthy or fresh. Processed foods tend to be cheaper but they also tend to include ingredients in excess, like sodium and fat, to try and mask the poor quality. Growing food in the neighborhood lowers the the transportation costs and storage needs that long distance agriculture requires. Providing healthy options empowers urban dwellers.
Modern urban environments have shifted from town centers to strip malls, and communal dances to dance clubs. Ironically, denser populations have led to a feeling of alienation and isolation from neighbors and community members. Urban farming has been shown to bring communities together and help reduce crime in surrounding areas. Being invested in your neighborhood encourages community and provides a public space to learn from neighbors.
Jobs are more than a way to make money. Jobs are ways to empower whole communities with security, stability, and choice. While being an urban farmer isn't without it's hardships, selling locally grown food encourages money to stay in the neighborhood. Not only does urban farming provide jobs to local neighborhoods, it supports local economies and revitilizes communities.
Transporting food over long distances is not only costly, but it also creates pollution through vehicle exhaust and concentrated production in rural areas. While a single urban farm can't support a whole city, many urban farms can help reduce dependence on long distance transporation of agriculture. Urban farming has been shown to help repair soil and introduces more green space for neighbohoods.
Space is one of the biggest issues in an urban farm. Growing food in a small space is a challenge, and can be a bit confusing at first. A backyard is a great place to grow, as well as a front yard. You can build raised beds or plant directly in the dirt, but the space a yard provides is one of the most common space urban farmers typically have access to. If you have a yard, you're on your way to enjoying the benefits of urban farming.
Small, but more versatile than you might think, the window box is a great spot to grow when space is at a premium—don't be afraid to utilize this space. Herbs and leafy greens can grow perfectly well in small spaces. Just be sure your box is attached securely to the windowsill. You can rest easy knowing your plants don't get scared of heights, even if you do.
If you have an apartment of condo, you might not have access to a yard. That's OK though, plants love containers and they don't mind sitting on your deck or balcony all day in the sun. The great thing about containers is that they are nearly as varied as plants you can grow in them. Deep buckets or shallow trays all qualify, and can be sized and shaped for infinite spaces. Balcony urban farms can be any number of configurations, just so long as you provide the soil, sun, and water.
If you have access to an entire city block, or an entire roof to grow on, congratualations. After you verify your roof can handle the extra weight, or that you can legally grow on the lot, you are ready to start growing on a large scale. Don't forget that utilizing your space efficiently can increase your yield, but you definitely have more breathing room than the other spaces. Large spaces in urban areas are at a premium.
Growing your own food can have monetary rewards too. In a community garden program called P-Patch, in Seattle, people were able to replace 25-50% of their produce needs by growing their own food. This number will vary by location and size of garden, but it's important to know that gardening food can help support families on limited budgets.
Families can save
in produce costs.
Find out how much space you need to grow your own vegetables and how much money that can save you. Start by adding a person below, then add a vegetable you want to grow. The amounts on the right will automatically update with the estimated amounts.
Now let's make a plan for you to get started! Below you'll find lots of tutorials that will help you begin your very own urban farm. Click on any idea for a downloadable version of the tutorial. If you used the calculator on the last screen, we highlighted the best options for your needs.
If reading about urban farming peaked your interest, please feel free to explore the subject more using the links below. These sites are a starting place to learn more, and are in no way exhaustive. This list is compiled from each individual page's "More Information" button. If a page is not listed, there wasn't an extra reading provided.
Farmur is a graduate thesis project and making sure all sources are cited properly is a big concern of mine. Almost all sources are from United States government agencies such as the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the United States Department of Agriculture, and the United States Census Bureau. Some pages, such as the Estimate Your Needs page, pull from multiple sources to create one unified dataset. Please feel free to check my sources and learn even more about the subject matter presented. This list is compiled from each individual page's "More Information" button. If a page is not listed, there wasn't an extra reading provided.
Farmur: farming for city folk, was created for a graduate level thesis project for the Web Design and New Media program of Academy of Art University in San Francisco, California. It is the culmination of three years' work brainstorming, designing, coding, and revising. The project that, ultimately, became Farmur went through several iterations to become what it is today. Farmur started as a gamified map with a focus on urban agriculture in the Corktown neighborhood of Detroit. From there, it morphed into a 3D interactive model on urban farming across the US. The next version of Farmur was an iPad app that allowed users to create a plan to start a garden, track progress and receive tips along the way. It was when I created the motion graphic featured on the homepage that the final design change occurred. The illustrations that I had created for animating became the foundation of Farmur. I turned Farmur into a responsive web site that focuses on a story and message that I am trying to spread. If you're interested, you can see more of my process here.
I believe motion graphics create an easily digestible message that people want to share and replay. I aim to harness the power of motion graphics to educate, while adding a layer of interactivity to keep the user engaged. My goal in creating Farmur is to contribute, in a small way, to the movement to diminish the reliance on industrial agriculture, create organized local community food systems, and provide healthy food to people who otherwise wouldn’t have access.
I hope that Farmur has inspired you to grow food, no matter how much space you have, from windowsill to city block. I also hope that you will share Farmur with others so that people, far and wide, will feel inspired to act.
As I finish my graduate program in 2014, I have many plans and dreams for Farmur 2.0. I hope that you will return as new content is added to give new urban farmers a centralized place for simple tutorials and resources to get started.
Thank you for stopping by,
Mark Teater
Coming Soon.