Self-Reliance in Urban Farming

The cost of food and gas are the two constants in an inflated economy. The more we consume, the more we need; the more we need, the more we consume and the more expensive they both become. The only way we can take control of these commodities is by growing our own food. It is our ultimate revolution, our ultimate feat in self-reliance.

Much of the food we consume today is far removed from the food our parents ate 50 years ago. It is grown for its looks, not taste; its picked long before it is ripe to assure its longevity and these are the ingredients we put in homemade meals. At what point do these “foods” cease to be nourishing food? At what point do we take control of the food we consume?

It is estimated that the average meal in the United States travels 10,000 miles. Be it by train, ship or truck that is 10,000 miles of energy and pollution to put food on your plate that can easily be grown in your backyard. Taking one step in the direction of self-reliance drops your carbon footprint dramatically. Even if this Spring you only grow easy care plants such as: basil, rosemary and cherry tomatoes; that is three kitchen basics that has not had to travel the approximate 10,000 miles it requires to get these items to your plate. The added benefit is that you know where the plant originated, you know if it has been genetically modified, you know how far it has traveled to get to your plate and how it has been grown and prepared.

The benefits of Urban Farming are endless. It is the one thing that we as humans and as communities can do to move towards self-reliance. Now is the time for us to take this step. We can only expect good to come of this movement, let us not delay.