Post Carbon London (Ontario)

The City Farming Project is a London organization that is involved in urban food production, using an innovative cooperative urban farming approach. Here is information from Melissa Parrott:

There is a great collaboration in London called the City Farming Project,
which I was involved with last planting season, and which will start up
again in the Spring.

We have a plot of land on Wharncliffe Rd, just past the "Golden Mile" of
car dealerships (yuck), which has been kindly set aside for us to plant
organic vegetables. City Farming Project also uses small garden plots in
peoples backyards throughout the city, to contribute to food production.

One great thing about it is, we get fed from the garden every week for $15
a basket of food (an overflowing basket of scrumptuos heritage
vegetables).

The other great thing about it is we gain experience and knowledge about
plants, sowing, harvesting, seed broadcasting, plant identification and
all steps involved to grow good healthy, organic, LOCAL food. And it
certainly doesn't cost you anything but time to volunteer and learn first
hand what it takes to produce food.

The land that the City Farming Project garden is located on is part of a
private farm. The farmer has generously donated a portion of the farm
which was overrun with thistles and wild lettuce. After a huge clear-out
in the spring and plowing and planting, we managed to get a very decent
crop to feed about 15 families in London. Next year will be even better.

So, it's not really a community garden, although it is tended by the
community - we don't rent plots of it individually like other gardens. The
farm is not affiliated with the London Community Resource Centre (that I
know of).

There are also various residential yards participating in food production.
My neighbour provided the potato patch. That being said, I'm sure there
are many 'farms' or garden plots unlisted.

One important aspect of the City Farming Project is to increase awareness
about the importance of agricultural land around and in cities, small
scale gardening and the dangers and flaws in current development practices
(aka sprawl and big bix stores).

If others are interested in the City Farming Project, e-mail Rose at:
rosemarywhite@sympatico.ca