Monthly Archives: November 2010

City of Chicago: Eat Local Live Healthy

Posted on November 28, 2010 by emily

Authored by the Planning and Development Dept. Identifies strategies to increase access to healthy food, including increasing food production in neighborhoods. Bee hives on roof of city hall.  Honey is bottled and sold for a profit. p. 66

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Alternatives to vacant lot cultivation

Posted on November 28, 2010 by emily

“Public spaces that are too large for the density of the surrounding development (suburban parks and parking lots); too uncomfortable or uninteresting to attract a sufficient number of users (many downtown plazas); or where development is neither capable nor allowed … Continue reading →

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Growing Better Cities

Posted on November 28, 2010 by emily

Mougeot, Luc J.A. 2006. Growing Better Cities: Urban Agriculture for Sustainable Development. Ottawa, ON: International Development Research Centre.

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Mougeot and urban ag in public spaces

Posted on November 28, 2010 by emily

“Mougeot believes that urban agriculture strategies perform best when they can be retrofitted onto public and open spaces where other activities are already occurring.  ‘Setting aside areas in or around the city for the exclusive and permanent use by urban … Continue reading →

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Map open space

Posted on November 28, 2010 by emily

One of the strategies cities can start with is to map their open spaces, to show how much idle space there is. p. 64

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When prosperity returns, vacant lots will disappear

Posted on November 28, 2010 by emily

“As we have moved into uncertain economic and climatic times, public officials across the country have taken notice of the nation’s fragile food supply.  The interest in growing food on vacant land to help establish food security has not been … Continue reading →

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Shrinking cities

Posted on November 28, 2010 by emily

This is an opportunity for urban ag.  As cities recognize they will not return to their original numbers, urban ag can be worked in as a viable land use as they re-plan their cities.

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Chicago’s NeighborSpace

Posted on November 28, 2010 by emily

Land-trust for municipally-supported agriculture. Partnership between City of Chicago, Chicago Parks District, and the Forest Preserve District of Cook County Each partner commits $100,000 annually to help obtain titles to vacant properties. p.  62

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Food production will always lose to development interests

Posted on November 28, 2010 by emily

“There is no denying the potential beauty and communal good that is possible with vacant-lot cultivation.  But when there is an opportunity (or even hope) to bolster the tax base, create real density and diversity in the community, and revitalize … Continue reading →

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Vacant land in Detroit

Posted on November 28, 2010 by emily

Detroit has 40 square miles of vacant land, about 30% of the city’s total area. p. 61

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