Urban Agriculture Research

PIG FARMING

2009-07-21T17:15:00.002+01:00

Please have a look at these documentary, before it is taken away from the internet
You've got only 9 days left!!

Hurry

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/pig-business/4od#2926317
http://www.channel4.com/food/on-tv/the-big-food-fight/pig-business_p_1.html

UA Project in New York - The Dragonfly

2009-06-22T12:24:00.004+01:00

Belgian firm Vincent Callebaut Architectures have designed a vertical farm based on the wings of a dragonfly. Located along the east river at the south edge of Rooselvelt Island
in New York City the tower is a true living organism being self sufficient in water, energy and bio fertilizing.

Spanning 132 floors and 600 vertical meters, the dragonfly
can accommodate 28 different agricultural fields for the production of fruit, vegetables, grains, meat and dairy.

To ensure the social diversity and a permanent life cycle [24h/24] in the tower, the mixed programmation is mainly laid out around two poles of housing and work places.

Around housings, offices and research laboratories as well as the most private to the most public agricultural and leisure spaces are designed in gardens, kitchen gardens, orchards, meadows, rice fields, farms and suspended
fields. The distribution of flows is made around a true safe spine spreading in loop the numerous elevators, the goods elevators and stair wells serving all the levels
by separating simultaneously the inputs and the outputs recycled from plants, animals and human beings.

General Information.

* Program: a metabolic farm for urban agriculture / mixing uses.
* Location: New York City, Roosevelt Island.
* Surface Area: 350,000 m2.
* Heights: antenna=700m; roof=600m; top floor=575m.
* Floor count: 132.
* Agricultural fields: 28.
* Model studies: Philippe Steels.
* Perspectives: Benoit Patterlini. [2009-06-04]

More info: http://www.arq.com.mx/noticias/Detalles/10340.html?utm_source=boletin288&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=boletin288

Picture source: http://picasaweb.google.es/ImagenesDeArquitectura/Dragonfly_Vincent_Callebaut_Architectures#slideshow/5343333995375048274

Royal Veggies

2009-06-14T01:05:00.004+01:00

"Queen turns corner of palace backyard into an allotment"

"Decades after she dug for victory, Queen Elizabeth gives the royal seal of approval to the grow-your-own movement"

(http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/jun/14/queen-allotment-organic-gardening)

If the Queen does it,
what stops you???

With Her Majesty Blessings.

D.

End of May in a London's Forest Garden...

2009-06-13T21:49:00.003+01:00

Urban Wildlife

2009-06-06T16:17:00.001+01:00

London Orchard Project

2009-06-06T13:47:00.002+01:00

2009-06-03T20:24:00.000+01:00

Interactive Food Growing Map

2009-06-03T14:20:00.002+01:00

Hi I have just received this email, and thought to share it.
I have heard of this kind of maps for the last 3 years... probably it is not the first and only one, but the first one I see.
Worth to have a look.

Dhanya

"Hello

We have now launched a number of updates to www.channel4.com/landshare that will make it easier for you to get involved.

The map is now live, there are improved search tools and better postcode accuracy.

Thanks to everyone who participated in the "soft-launch" phase and for navigating through the early technical teething issues. And congratulations to those who have already found their 'match' - look out for the story of the first ever Landshare match on 'River Cottage, Summer's Here' (new series!) on Channel 4 on Wednesday 3 June at 8pm.

Thousands more people have signed up to Landshare in the last 6 weeks, with more Landowners and Growers joining daily.

Check out the new site and discover the latest on what is happening near you.

www.channel4.com/landshare

Best

The Landshare Team"

London needs fruit trees just like Delhi, says Ken | News

2009-05-25T22:17:00.000+01:00

London needs fruit trees just like Delhi, says Ken | News

Fruit Trees for London?

2009-05-25T22:11:00.002+01:00

Does Anyone Remember This?

“ London needs fruit trees just like Delhi, says Ken”

Ross Lydall, City Hall Editor
20.11.07

Mayor: Wants more fruits trees in London to combat global warming

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23422131-details/London+needs+fruit+trees+just+like+Delhi,+says+Ken/article.do

This is what followed:

Facelift for Harley Street (29/02/2008)

Harley Street is set for a major facelift that will transform it into a tree-lined road for the first time in its 300 year history with the introduction of 45 pear trees.

The iconic street, which has been tree-less since it was built in the early 18th century, is undergoing the largest street tree planting scheme of its kind in Westminster which is bucking a London-wide trend by increasing the number of trees across the city.

But visitors to the street, world famous for its medical expertise, will not be able to add street pears to their portion of five a day as although the American species produces a dazzling spring bloom of white flowers, it does not fruit….
(http://www.westminster.gov.uk/councilgovernmentanddemocracy/councils/pressoffice/news/pr-4144.cfm )

Maybe it is because of this:

The London Trees and Woodland Framework

The London Trees and Woodland Framework is part of the Environment Strategy of the Greater London Authority. It was launched on the 23rd March 2005 and is the result of a broad partnership of London-wide bodies headed by the Forestry Commission and the GLA….

http://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/ltwf_full.pdf/$FILE/ltwf_full.pdf

It does not mention

fruit trees at all!!

Fruit Trees, any space for them?

2009-05-22T16:52:00.007+01:00

Fruit Trees, any space for them?

Just a few facts to instigate your thoughts:

Nowadays, Londoners can grow fruit trees in their front and back-gardens, if they have one. While a small fraction of them, around "30,000" people (LDA, 2006),

that is around 0.4% of London population, grows fruit trees in allotments, whenever their "condition of tenancy" allows them to do so.

In fact, even if allotments are defined as: "a piece of land not exceeding 40 poles in extent which is wholly or mainly cultivated by the plot-holder for the production

of vegetables or fruit by him/herself and family", where "40 poles is equivalent to 1,012 m²" (ARI, 2007), it is not always possible to grow any kind of fruit tree.

For example, some allotment providers, like the Croydon Federation of Allotment and Garden Societies gives clear guidelines on the planting of fruit trees, which:

"should not overhang roads, paths or adjoining allotments or site boundaries with private residences" and

"should be planted no less than five feet (1.5m.) from roads or paths for apples, plums, pears, gages and other top fruit", and limit the size to "dwarfing rootstocks only".

While other providers, like the Tandridge District Council forbids the growing of "anything bigger than a raspberry bush" on their allotments,

and the London Borough of Wandsworth, which requests:

"not to plant any fruit trees or fruit bushes or any crops that require more than 12 months to mature without the previous, written consent of the Council".

More to follow...

Dhanya

A one Metre by 40cm food garden, East London

2009-05-21T21:45:00.004+01:00

We are currently experimenting with a small 1 metre long growing space on the tiny balcony outside our flat. We built and planted the container during the second week of April. From left to right we have coriander, Radish, Parsley and Spinach. So far we have harvested three radishes, handfuls of parsley, some small leaves of spinach and small amounts of coriander. Once the coriander and spinach come online in a few weeks, we should have plenty of salads crops to last the summer. Due to the success of the container we have planted a second one to the right with more spinach, Tomatoes and beans. Photos to follow soon.

Invisible Food Saturday 23rd May

2009-05-21T21:11:00.007+01:00

Over the past year, artist Ceri Buck has been walking around Loughborough Estate with local residents searching for and identifying wild plants that can be eaten. The Invisible Food booklet has been put together with a map, drawings and 16 recipe cards to help you explore this area and interact with the plants you find. Free copy for walk participants. Invisible Food was commissioned and produced by Artangel Interaction with support from the National Lottery.

More about Invisible Food

Saturday 23rd May: Invisible Food Walk

Time & Place: 11am on the Loughborough Estate, Brixton

Cost & Booking:The walks are free but please call or email to book a place: 07963 446605 or openbracket@riseup.net

Bash Rooftop Hive

2009-05-21T14:39:00.006+01:00

On a fine May afternoon I checked the rooftop bees for the first time since their move from a community garden near Camberwell. They appear to be doing well, with some stores, plenty of eggs and brood and lots of flying bees. Tomorrow they will be joined by some excess bees, brood and stores from the Royal Festival Hive. Our regal hive is far too productive for the small site and we dont want a repeat of last year swarm!

The bees have landed!

2009-05-15T12:02:00.005+01:00

Exciting news. This morning we installed a starter hive on the rooftop of Bash Creations (www.bashcreations.com) at the juction of Curtain Road and Great Eastern Street, East London.

The site is 10m x 10m by 10m. It has all the extremes of wind and solar access that comes with rooftops and it will be interesting to see how the bees cope. We have had a hive on the roof of the Royal Festival Hive, South Bank London (http://royalfestivalhive.typepad.com/) for two years now, but the roof there is much more sheltered.

We will let the bees settle in for a week before checking them. So I'm post an update with photos towards the end of the next week.

Another important part of the project is the use of the rooftop for food production (urban agriculture). 8 tonnes of soil got delivered last week and we will be busy building raised beds over the next fortnight.

London Yields: Getting Urban Agriculture off the Ground

2009-05-15T11:44:00.006+01:00

Forth coming presentaions about Urban Agriculture

The Building Centre
Store Street
London
WC1E 7BT
T: +44 (0) 207 692 4000
www.buildingcentre.co.uk

Date: Wednesday 27 May, 9.30 - 1.00

In recent years the notion of urban agriculture has been gaining increased currency. Triggered by concerns about food prices, food miles and the environment it is also a response to the desire to live healthier, more sustainable lives. Despite good intentions, large-scale examples, especially in the UK, are hard to find however recent initiatives such as London Food promise much.

This seminar will focus on what has, is and will be done to increase the integration of food production into the city, answering the questions:

Can we reduce our reliance on imported food?
Where is the investment going to come from?
How can we change consumer spending habits and promote fresh food?
Do we need to be at the brink of catastrophe before urban agriculture is widely implemented?

Speakers include:

Mark Brearley, Head of Design, Design for London and Jamie Dean, East London Green Grid

Carolyn Steel, architect and author of Hungry City: How Food Shapes Our Lives

Katrin Bohn & Andre Viljoen, Bohn & Viljoen Architects

Mikey Tomkins and Ruth Coulson, Urban Designer, Croydon Council on Central Croydon as an example of growing food closer to the urban consumer

And a representative from Sustain, the alliance for better food and farming

Chaired by David Barrie, urban consultant, project, design and media producer.

Places at the seminar cost £35+vat and include refreshments.

Can Brixton feed itself?

2009-05-15T11:28:00.007+01:00

Monday 11 May 2009

In the Second in TTBFood's informative The Future of Our Food talks Andre Viljoen (author of 'Continuous Productive Urban Landscapes,
Urban Agriculture for Sustainable Cities')
and Mikey Tomkins (S London Urban Food Growing specialist) will present their research on how much food can be grown in cities and how.

With Paul Richens, builder of the 'Garden in the Sky' and chaired by Ben Reynolds, director of Sustain, the Alliance for better food and farming.

Below are two slides from the presentation given Mikey Tomkins. The work looks at the amount of space available in Elephant and Castle for Growing food. For further details please email mikeytomkins@gmail.com

Sweden Urban Agriculture Exhibition

2009-04-23T16:25:00.003+01:00

The Edible Map

This is a reduced jpeg of the Edible Map, currently being exhibited at the Building Centre

The Edible Map Will also be exhibited in Göteborg, Sweden. June 3rd and end at june 26th

The exhibition is a collaboration between the municipality of Gothenburg, represented by the Göteborg CityMuseum and ULG (Urban Laboratory Göteborg) on the subject of urban agriculture. There will be one traditional display of information and pictures from global cases. There will also be a past-present-future theme of local situation, concerning agriculture, in Gothenburg. The other part will be a physical garden, outside the museum with vegetables in the street in order to make it visible.

Exhibition - Building Centre London

2009-04-23T12:35:00.001+01:00

London Yields _Building Centre 9th April - 30th May

There is currently a show dedicated to urban agriculture on at the Building Centre, Store Street, London.

http://www.buildingcentre.co.uk/events/event_diary_details.asp?id=432

Both myself, Viljeon & Bohn and AOC architects are presenting work in the show. Details of the exhibition are listed on the above url.

Introduction

2009-04-23T12:27:00.000+01:00

I've set up this site after a recent visit to CAT in Wales, where I was presenting my research to Architecture Diploma students and tutoring. Simon Tucker, one of the tutors at CAT, mentioned that he knew of someone who also doing doing research into food growing. It struck me that there are probably many other research and practitioners out there. For the sake of not doubling up on research work, I thought it would be good to collect together researchers that I already know and for each researcher to add a quick note about there area of work. This blog need not be update very regularly, but an initial presence on the site would make it easy for cross research communication.

I will certainly be happy to push for the odd addition to the blog by those listed (twice a year!?). This might be related to research questions, exhibitions or calls for papers.

Mikey Tomkins 23/04/09

Welcome

2009-04-23T12:21:00.001+01:00

Welcome to this blog site dedicated to research and practice in urban agriculture.