VCU Urban Agriculture SRL .pdf

Urban Agriculture 101:
Richmond, VA

Alternative Links to Information
on Urban Agriculture

http://www.ted.com/talks/stephen_ritz_a_teacher_growing_gree

“A garden is a grand teacher.
It teaches patience and
careful watchfulness; it
teaches industry and thrift;
above all it teaches entire
trust.”

n_in_the_south_bronx.html

–Gertrude Jekyll

“A whirlwind of energy and ideas, Stephen
Ritz is a teacher in New York's tough South

Bronx, where he and his kids grow lush
gardens for food, greenery -- and jobs” –TED

VCU SERVICE LEARNING PROJECT
Bailey Bodine, Mara Duncan, Tara Hawkins
Cassie Mahoney, Greg Nowotarski, Amber Robey

Our Goal: To educate
www.greenbronxmachine.com

about urban agriculture

Richmond’s TRICYCLE GARDENS!

and provide access to

http://tricyclegardens.org/

nutritional foods
in Richmond, Virginia

Virginia Commonwealth University:
Guide to Green Living

http://www.vcugoesgreen.vcu.edu/pdf/guide.pdf

Visit us on Facebook for
more information on Urban
Agriculture!
www.facebook.com/
VcuUrbanAgricultureSL

“Flowers always make people better,
happier and more helpful; they are
sunshine, food and medicine for the
soul.”
-Luther Burbank: American botanist, horticulturist and
pioneer in agricultural science

IMGSOURCE: http://www.blackandwhite-images.com/food_fruits_blackandwhite.html

Food Justice = Social Justice

Benefits of Urban Agriculture
Social Benefits:
Brings the therapeutic effects of nature into the city
setting
Contributes to food security and food safety by increasing
the availability of fresh foods in urban communities
“About 11 % of the poorest Americans
live in ‘food deserts’ where 1/3 or more
of the residents live beyond walking
distance to the nearest grocery store.”
-Food Day 2012

An alarming number of people living in the
Richmond area do not have access to healthy
food. A common response to this claim is that
“food is already being provided in the city”…

Addresses the nutritional needs of urban residents who
live near or below the poverty level and provides realistic
options for these citizens to be able to obtain healthy food

Currently, there are several community
gardens located in the Richmond area. The
website provided below can help you locate the
closest one to you!
http://www.richmondgov.com/CommunityGarden/index.aspx
IMGURL:http://liberatingwings.typepad.com/liberating_wings/2011/06/food-justicehope.html

Sub Irrigated Planters (SIPs) can be made
from plastic “Totes” as seen below. SIP totes
can be easily moved around and once
assembled, do not require much upkeep. The
link below provides steps to make your own
SIP Tote Garden!
http://www.josho.com/gardening.htm

Inspires environmental stewardship and a sense of
community among residents
Buying locally grown food supports the local economy!

IMGURLhttp://ronypony.blogspot.com/2009_05_01_archive.html

Food banks providing food to individuals in
need is a great service; however, the items
typically donated are by no means healthy.
Non-perishable food items are full of
preservatives that do not provide adequate
nutrients.
Our hope is that one day; organic, nutritional
fruits and vegetables will replace decorative
plants on sidewalks and in parks around the
city, ensuring access to nutritional food for all.

When living in the city, space to grow
fruits and vegetables is limited. There
are alternatives to growing foods in
places other than the ground!

Vertical Gardens are also very
popular in urban settings:

Environmental Benefits:
Carbon sequestering: plants filter carbon from the
atmosphere and deposit it into the soil
Reduces the detrimental effects of large scale industrial
agriculture on the environment (air pollution, surface
and groundwater contamination, soil erosion and the
reduction of bio-diversity)
Purchasing locally grown food decreases energy use
associated with shipping and refrigeration and allows
consumers to have a better understanding of where their
food comes from and what is in it
IMGURL:http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/photos/urban-farming/

IMGURLhttp://www.crda.org/news/blog/vertical-garden-blooms-on-thecrosstown/