By Vanessa Richins

At my last residence, we had two lovely old apple trees.

One year, I collected apples and made crisps.

However, the next year, I was busy with working 2 jobs and more. Many of the apples just fell to the ground and were wasted by the time I stopped and noticed the tree.

We did have people politely ask sometimes if they could have some of the apples, and we were happy to share. I hated to see them go unused.

It is in this spirit that Lisa Kivet of Sustainablog shares her 3 tips for adopting your neighbor’s fruit tree.

As she says, “Step up to the plate – or bushel – and tap into these unwanted fruit on trees in backyards across the nation that could be making the world a better place through more pie – or jam or cobblers or muffins – you get the picture.”

1. Approach

Be sure to ask permission before you Read the rest of this entry »

By Vanessa Richins

Their motto is, “Living Wisely. Living Well.”

Natural Home magazine is committed to help people live a more natural and fruitful life.

Recently, they featured their choices for “America’s Top 10 Urban Farms”.

As the Santa Cruz Sentinel notes, “The Top 10 Urban Farms list is a fun way to recognize urban farms that we believe are doing an exceptional job of building a community where people can learn about food and buy great local produce,” editor in chief Robyn Griggs Lawrence said in a statement.

“It’s a terrific move toward getting people involved in sustainable projects in an urban setting. Plus, these farms often create jobs and revenue for the city by selling the produce to city dwellers and restaurants.”

Santa Cruz’s own Homeless Garden Project was named as number nine on the list. Next year is their 20th year of operation. They use the program to give jobs to homeless people. The organic produce is sold to local markets.

The farms are found throughout the nation, from Santa Cruz to the Brooklyn Rescue Mission Bed-Stuy Farm in Brooklyn, NY.

The winners are :

1. City Farm, Chicago
2. Green Youth Farm, Chicago Read the rest of this entry »

By Vanessa Richins

The community garden movement has reached the global level.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced that a community garden will be planted at every USDA facility in the world.

The announcement was made on February 12th, 2009, in honor of President Abraham Lincoln’s 200th birthday.

Lincoln was instrumental in changing the science of agriculture and gardening forever. In 1862 he created the Department of Agriculture, and also signed the Morrill Land Grant Act, which created the state university system to teach and study agriculture and the extension service to bring this information to the public.

The first community garden to be planted will be the “USDA The People’s Garden,” located near Read the rest of this entry »

By Vanessa Richins

Residents of Orlando may have been startled if they passed the Willows neighborhood after December 11th, 2008.

Before, there had just been a vacant lot with weeds and bushes.

Now, however, they see a beautiful fenced garden.

It all happened in just one day.

The project was sponsored by the Home Depot Foundation and Fiskars’ Project Orange Thumb garden program. They donated the design, tools, plants and all other project supplies. With the help of over 50 volunteers, the Willows neighborhood was transformed over Read the rest of this entry »

By Cindy Naas

Those of us involved in the urban farming movement already know the benefits of growing our own.

The next step is to make sure we pass this on to the next generation.

Dorset Cereals, a UK-based company, has stepped forward with a winning idea to address this issue.

Dorset Cereals produce various organic cereals filled with good things. Their concern for children now extends to the Edible Playground Project.

An edible playground is a place for schoolchildren to grow all manner of fruits and vegetables. In the Edible Playground website are tips not only for getting started with creating a child’s veggie garden, but also Read the rest of this entry »