urban agriculture for everyone

During the month of March, UFVDC visited several farms in the DC area, each with its own unique scale for growing food. From the Georgetown Rooftop Food Project with about 600 square feet of space, to Stoney Lonesome Farm with several acres under cultivation, the farms each work with different amounts of land. Still, all can be considered small in comparison to the bigger swaths of rolling fields that typically come to mind when thinking of the word “farm.”

That’s the cool thing about urban agriculture—it takes a concept that feels distant to many city dwellers and brings it right into our own backyards (or onto our rooftops in some cases!). Rather than being a process far removed from our daily lives, growing food in the city seems real and practical when we can drive, Metro, or bike across town to a place where vegetables thrive in the soil.

Visiting such a diverse range of farms this spring has also urged us to expand our definition of the term “urban.” Neighborhood Farm Initiative’s garden at Ft. Totten feels obviously urban: a constant stream of people passes by on their way to the Metro station where trains rumble along the yellow and red lines. But the more suburban Alexandria location of Arcadia Center for Sustainable Agriculture can also be thought of as urban. Although the growing space at Arcadia is bordered by green pastureland, single-family homes, and shopping centers, it is less than 20 miles from downtown DC and is highly connected to the pulse of the city and the communities in Virginia and Maryland.

What do you think is the best way to define urban agriculture? Weigh in with your thoughts on our discussion group.

All of these farms serve as links in the widening web of urban agriculture in DC. Volunteering at one of these sites is a great way to get involved in the community, learn about growing food, meet awesome people, and have fun outdoors. Check out our volunteer here page to find an upcoming opportunity. Whether you’re a high schooler, middle schooler, lower schooler, college schooler, grad schooler, post schooler, no schooler, urban agriculture is for you!