Confessions of an
Urban Farmer
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 I have a van.
A carbon belching beast of burden.
Sometimes the payloads, or distances are beyond a bike.
If I want to reach zero carbon, this will have to change.
Future options may include an electric van, or a hydrogen van, but ultimately what needs to be done is LESS TRAVEL.
My current strategy is to place a limit on the distance travelled from home to garden. I try to find gardens within a 5 km radius of Home Sweet Home. This has meant turning down some large gardens, but ultimately I believe it is the right approach.
When weeding or monitoring the gardens, I use my bike.
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What is the Best Bike for an Urban Farmer?
I tested an Xtracycle for a while, but decided that a trailer would be the best solution. The Xtracycle was perfect for handling anything under 50 lbs. Over 50 lbs and stability became top of mind.
I also test drove an electrified Xtracycle with trailer. It was fun, but intiution told me it was not the right fit.
Do you have any suggestions?
It's amazing what you can carry on an Xtracycle!
I could carry a little 4 Stroke Rototiller.
Oops, another carbon belcher, but at least it is a 4 stroke that meets Califoria Standards.
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The humble bike and trailer.
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| Ideas for the future
Visualize a world where every neighbourhood has an urban farmer who grows food in local gardens for local consumption.
All the gardens that are managed are within 5 kms of the farmer's residence. The ultimate goal would be to establish 0.5 to 1.5 acres of garden area within as close a zone as possible. This would mean less time on the bike, and more in the garden.
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Technology
Modern, large scale agriculture's efficiency have increased in staggering ways through the develop of new equipment and techniques.
Urban Farming, or small scale farming, has the potential to increase efficiencies dramatically, making it more viable as a career.
What ideas, methods, techniques, materials or equipment can we use in urban farming to increase crop quality, yield or labour?
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The Honour Box
Honesty and trust help to grow a healthy community. In 2008 I will be placing a few veggies on a small table or box, by the house, for the neighbours to purchase. $2 bunches of veggies. Drop the money in the tin can.
I think I'll design it so the veggies can be store in a cooler, or displayed in a basket.
Will I get my tin can or veggies stolen? Perhaps. But the upside outweighs this event, and I can always find another tin can.
As long as I keep it simple and small, and neighbourhood focused, I'm hoping the city won't shut it down. I'm not planning to start a grocery store, I simply want a way to share a small amount of seasonal produce with my neighbours.
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Pocket Markets
Small portable market booths that can be set up on the street. It's the type of market booth that Hollywood loves to use in chase scenes, where the apple cart gets pushed over. Where are they in Vancouver?
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Micro Farmers
I have been thinking about all the people I've meet that love to grow food, but always end up with way more veggies, all at once, than they can possibly eat themselves.
The idea is to create a network of what I'll call micro-farmers, that grow small patches of veggies in collaroration with a local urban farmer. The micro-farmer loves it because they suddenly have an outlet for their passion of growing food, and they make a little money.
The urban farmer directs the micro-farmer in best organic methods, and co-ordinates the crop with a market. The urban farmer helps the micro-farmer plant the crop, and the micro-farmer weeds, waters, and harvests at a specific time. The veggies are delivered to the urban farmer for market, and the profits are shared.
Using this approach, the urban farmers knowledge and expertise are better utilized, and the crops may be better tended to because the grower lives on site. It would allow the urban farmer to focus on managing the business, rather than weeding and watering.
Anyone interested in collaborating as a microfarmer?
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