from the Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development |
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MORE ARTICLES PUBLISHED IN SPECIAL SECTION |
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Special thanks to our sponsors for making this special edition possible. |
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Grow food, not lawns! Regenerative urban farming in Calgary. JAFSCD peer-reviewed article by Chelsea Rozanski (U of Calgary) and Michael Gavin (Root and Regenerate Urban Farms) |
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The food landscape of Calgary, Canada, is sown with an abundance of polycultures. Alongside place-specific Indigenous foodways are food rescue, banking, and hamper programs, food studies scholars, the City of Calgary Food Resilience Plan, and a growing number of alternative food network (AFN) producers. Within the local AFN, there has been a boom in advancing indoor growing for a colder climate, including container, aquaponic, vertical hydroponic, and greenhouse growing. Situated as an agrarian ethnographer (Chelsea Rozanski, corresponding author) and an urban regenerative farmer (Michael Gavin), the authors of the JAFSCD article “Growing in relation with the land: Experiential learning of Root and Regenerate Urban Farms” highlight the viability of agricultural techniques that are in relation with the land to grow more socially and ecologically sustainable food and farm systems in and around Calgary.
From this position, they formed a collaboration between the University of Calgary, Root and Regenerate Urban Farms, and the Young Agrarians to document the cultivation process for a production urban farm. Through a reflexive practitioner approach, their reflective essay discusses the benefits and limitations of small plot intensive farming (SPIN) farming methods and urban land-sharing strategies. It also looks at the viability of land-based urban agriculture in a rapidly changing socio-ecological climate. This paper demonstrates the potential for transcending siloed approaches to knowledge-making as related to experiential learning partnerships between graduate student researchers, farmers, and agricultural organizations.
KEY FINDINGS
Framed within the ethos of “ecological responsibility, social responsibility, and economic viability,” the authors argue how regenerative SPIN farming operations can be scaled up and out to not only grow food but also ecosystem resilience and community networks. Over the course of one growing season (May to September 2021), the duo: - Harvested approximately 7,000lbs of produce across nine urban spaces totaling 0.26 acres;
- Distributed 48 vegetable varieties to 35 community supported agriculture (CSA) shareholders, weekly farmers market customers, restaurant chefs, and members of the YYC Growers and Distributors cooperative;
- Donated 765 lbs. of surplus produce to the Calgary Community Fridge, Calgary Food Bank, and the Alex Community Food Centre, which work to mitigate food insecurity.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR POLICY, PRACTICE, AND RESEARCH As urban agriculture and SPIN farming models become more prolific, our recommendations for further research include: - The incorporation of land-baed learning in urban farming processes in postsecondary courses;
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The contradictions and convergences of Indigenous food and land sovereignty efforts with urban farming expansion;
- Possibilities for land-sharing and cooperative farming models,
Community-led organization strategies to grow and circulate food outside of the market economy;
Quantitative data on the cumulative impact of SPIN farming in urban plots; Qualitative data from customers on local food access and perceptions of health benefits across different ethnicities, classes, sexes, etc.; and Comparative analyses between urban SPIN operations and rural production of similar acreage.
Photo above: SPIN farming in an urban household’s backyard. Photo by Chelsea Rozanski. |
Don't miss out on this fantastic job opportunity! |
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SENIOR WASHINGTON REPRESENTATIVE FOOD & ENVIRONMENTRemote/Hybrid - Washington, D.C.
The UCS is seeking a Senior Washington Representative for its Food & Environment Program, to work as part of an interdisciplinary team that includes dedicated research outreach and communications staff in addition to policy advocates. The successful candidate will leverage their skills and expertise to advocate for UCS positions on U.S. farm policy and toward healthy, sustainable, and just food systems, helping carry out the program's overall advocacy efforts and leading strategy and implementation of key components. The Senior Washington Representative will also play a key role in crafting future campaigns on food and agriculture issues; potentially supervise and mentor junior legislative staff; and communicate with coalition partners, media, and other stakeholders.
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