Urban Agriculture and

Beekeeping Kori Nadine Armstrong

http://www.forwardthinkingmuseum.com/exhibitions/solo_tourneret_03.php

What is Urban Agriculture?

Definition: the practice of cultivating,

processing, and distributing crops/animals in, or

around a village, town, or city.

Integrated into and interacting w/ the urban

economic and ecological system.

Practiced by over 800 million people worldwide.

Takes place intra-urban (within-city limits) or peri-

urban (urban outskirts)

Arose due to rapid urbanization and rising

population levels.

Provides a complementary strategy to reduce

urban poverty & enhance food security and

environmental management

http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/photos/urban-

farming/#/earth-day-urban-farming-new-york-rooftop_51631_600x450.jpg

Brooklyn Grange in New York grows more than 50,000 pounds of produce each year in its rooftop gardens. Photo © Brooklyn

Grange Rooftop Farm / Anastasia Cole Plakias. (Ensia “Urban Farming is Booming But What Does It Really Yield?”

Importance of Urban Agriculture

Growing populations

Increased urbanization

See expansion of megacities:

over 10 million people

i.e Mexico City, Tokyo

http://www.megacities.uni-koeln.de/documentation/

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Importance of Urban Agriculture (cont.)

Industrial agriculture

consequences

Growing expense of biofuel

Production and transportation

Monocrops

Diseases

Food Shortages

Environmental impact of cities

“heat islands”

Food deserts

Impact on quality of life

Fair World Project

Types of Urban Agriculture

Micro-farming (in and around the home)

Roof gardens, container gardens, traditional backyard

gardens, raised beds

Community gardens

Institutional gardens

Schools, churches, prisons

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Types of Urban Agriculture (cont.) Small-scale horticulturalists

Small-scale livestock/fish-farming

Chickens, goats, tilapia, trout, BEES

Small-scale specialist producers

Mushroom farming

Large-scale agro-enterprises

Bring large amounts of food to dense urban populations

https://www.google.com/search?q=urban+farmers&espv=2&biw=1280&bih=939&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjI__LeoOTLAhWENiYKHV2hAZsQ_AUIByg

C#imgrc=niJV5tht7Rb_vM%3Ahttp://www.d.umn.edu/cla/faculty/troufs/anthfood/afurbanfarming.html

http://grocycle.com/urban-mushroom-farm/

So what are the benefits of urban

agriculture?

Educational/ skill-building

Local food

Improved food security and household diet quality

Biodiversity

Less transportation

Reduces transit-related costs, carbon emissions

Economic development

Local restaurants

Farmers markets, Whole Foods, Wal-Mart

Mental health and social benefits

Reduces waste

Last longer on shelves and refrigerators

Composting

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http://foodtank.com/news/2015/07/urban-farms-and-gardens-are-feeding-cities-around-the-world

Composting

Often goes hand-in-hand with urban agriculture.

Enriches soil

Encourages production of beneficial micro-organisms.

Helps clean contaminated soil

Absorbs odors and treats semi-volatile and volatile

organic compounds.

Economic benefits

Reduces need for water, fertilizers, and pesticides.

https://www.epa.gov/sustainable-management-food

http://www.charlestonparksconservancy.org/blogs/view_article/looking_at_an_urban_farm

http://www.freshwatercleveland.com/features/foodwaste111215.aspx

So what are the benefits of urban

agriculture? (cont.)

Environmental

Vertical gardens and

wastewater

Control building temperature

Smog

Utilization of space

Urban design appeal

Urban farms make good

neighbors

http://www.cityfarmer.info/2012/02/27/urban-agriculture-minneapolis-needs-your-voice/

http://inhabitat.com/kasetsart-university-in-thailand-builds-an-innovative-rooftop-garden-on-campus/kasetsart-university-

urban-farm-vertical-green-block1/

Urban Agriculture and Beekeeping

Rise in urban beekeeping (along w/ other types of

sustainable development and green building) in past

few years.

White House

70,000 bees

Chicago

City-managed apiaries

New York, Denver, Milwaukee, Santa Monica

All recently legalized beekeeping.

Beekeeper Michael Thompson applies smoke to settle down the more than

1000,000 bees in a hive on top of City Hall in Chicago. (WBUR)

http://citybees.blogspot.com/2009/03/excellent-white-house-bee-adventure.html

Why the buzz?

Pollination services

Community gardens

Bolsters local economies

Restaurants, grocery stores, natural remedies shops

Bee catchers

Local food movement

Honey, beeswax, propolis, royal jelly, pollen

Health benefits

Alternative to sugar

Allergies

Stress Relief

Get back to nature

http://www.cityfarmer.info/2012/06/27/forward-thinking-museum-exhibits-eric-tournerets-urban-beekeeping-photos/

Noah Link checks on his bees at Food Field, a commercial farm in Detroit. Photo by Marcin Szczepanski.

Why the buzz?

Pollination services

Community gardens

Bolsters local economies

Restaurants, grocery stores, natural remedies shops

Bee catchers

Local food movement

Honey, beeswax, propolis, royal jelly, pollen

Health benefits

Alternative to sugar

Allergies

Stress Relief

Get back to nature

Environmental

Helps offset Colony Collapse Disorder.

Bees Benefit as Well

City’s abundant and mostly pesticide-free flowers

Biodiversity

Organic gardening trend

Vs. monocultures in countryside

Longer nectar flow in cities

People planting flowers that bloom spring to fall

Beekeeping methods in cities

Small-scale beekeepers in cities usually rely on natural, non-chemical

beekeeping practices.

Build hives from local “survivor bees”

Result: Healthier bees

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beekeeping

Rooftop Bees in Brooklyn (Popular Mechanics)

Possible Cons

Too many bees in one city.

Competing for food and airspace

Swarms

Expanding hives

Solution: Give them room or move them

Note: Swarming bees are not usually aggressive

Stings

Solution: proper hive placement

Away from heavy traffic

Fencing

Signs

Overall thought: Pros outweigh cons.

JP “The Beeman”

Additional Readings and Questions