Why I do what I do…
Sarah at ‘Connecting over Fair Food’ organised by Fair Food Illawarra
14 November 2022
What does urban agriculture actually look like?
Well – in my context it looks like 700 m2 filled with row upon row of veggies – my backyard market garden.
1/5 th acre under production in the shadow of a remnant forest, tucked into our backyard, a mere 5 minute walk to the bus stop & a couple of km from the ocean.
From a starting point of no gardening knowledge, stepping into growing a dozen potted plants in a north facing corner, branching out to a seasonally abundant market garden fringed with fruit trees pollinated by bees from our hives & fertilized (in part) by our chickens.
It’s a massive journey – learning how to grow food, find an audience, learn about business & find some inspiration to cook dinner in the evening.
A sweet gig overall – no one is going to forget about food the way we’ve forgotten about our kids loom band kits.
Fresh produce is not only nourishing for our bodies, but for our souls. It invites curiosity and playfulness. There’s a sense of achievement when you can actually eat the fruits of your labours. Let alone knowing that you can preserve those sweet tastes to indulge at a later date.
What about sprinkling edible flowers over that celebration cake? It’s way nicer than that weird gritty sugar tooth feel from sprinkles.
When eating seasonally grown food, it also provides an opportunity to eat the rainbow. Think breakfast of eggs (yellow), garnished with flowers (red, pink, purple, blue, orange), a side of sauerkraut (violet) or garden pesto (green).
Or how about a salad of leaves, roasted beetroot, feta, edible flowers, cucumber. All tossed together in a giant bowl, inviting you to dive in.
The potential is limitless!
Urban agriculture is an opportunity to shine the light on growing food in our neighborhoods. Have a bit of a hunt around, pop your head over the fence and you never know what you’ll find. By growing food locally, we
Get active
Minimize food miles
(potentially) meet new people
learn old skills new again
eat the freshest of food
learn more about what grows in your area
And have fun :)