Welcome to Farming from 3 to 20 Feet Up, a blog covering urban farming, food justice, and all the politics that surround them both. The title of this post refers not to this blog but to the inspiration for its creation: The Growing Power Small & Urban Farms Conference from September of 2010. I left the conference with a lot of mixed feelings, unanswered questions, and a strong desire to get home and get some work done. I could tell by the crowd that I was not alone. I had a lot of issues with the way the conference was run and the priorities of Growing Power, but, being a gentleman (farmer), I’m going to focus on the positive aspect of the conference. I can sum it up in two words: National Movement.
First I want to start by saying one thing clearly; urban farming is by no means a new phenomenon. As Monica White, a presenter at the conference representing the Detroit Balck Community Food Security Network, mentioned, urban farming has been around for decades, and for her, is not the direct result of economic collapse and urban blight. But what we are seeing is the growth of a movement to put urban farming at the center of a major ecological, economical, and social change. And as much as New Yorkers would like to think that they invented the wheel, there were activists at this conference that have been at it for years all over the country.
When it comes to the new breed, the coasts have gotten the most attention over the past couple of years-be it book deals for Novella Carpenter, or Eagle Street Rooftop Farm on Martha Stewart. But we’re not talking about Berkley and Brooklyn anymore. We’re talking Indianapolis, Columbus, Sacramento, Santa Fe, St. Paul, and Jackson. And we’re talking Detroit (everyone in the food justice movement should be talking Detroit). People from all over the country are eager to learn and bursting with excitement. I couldn’t help but be inspired by their zeal.
The way people asked questions, the way they discussed their own projects, the way they discussed the food they cook—it all points to passion and a true belief in the value of food justice work and the need for a change in our food system. Make no mistake, there are a lot of underexperienced people that are finding a way to make the changes they want to see in their own communities. The conference was like a glorious coming out of all those ready to start a movement.
