Urban Agriculture

URBAN AGRICULTURE

SSCAN leaders support several community-driven urban agriculture projects including the Mt Baker Food Is Free Community Giving Garden, Bradner Garden Pea Patch and the Shark Garden. We recognize that urban gardens have important environmental, economic and social benefits for our South Seattle community and, as such, we have organized educational events in support of urban agriculture at our monthly meetings and via Mt Baker Meaningful Movies. If you would like to learn more or get involved, contact admin@southseattleclimate.org. 

(Thank you to Appetite For Change for the following description of Urban Gardens and their benefits.)

What Are Urban Gardens?
Urban gardening, sometimes known as city gardening, is defined as “the process of cultivating green spaces in urban settings.” It encompasses a variety of projects from urban farming to patio gardens to community gardens. Urban gardens can be tended by individuals, groups, companies, or organizations. The amount and variety of food grown can vary widely, as well as the size of the project itself, but urban gardening initiatives are all rooted in a city setting.

Urban gardens are also united by the important benefits they bring to gardeners, consumers, and communities as a whole. Whether they consist of a collection of pots on a balcony or a cluster of plots on a vacant lot, these gardens provide more than food, offering a host of environmental, economic, and social benefits. 

Benefits of Urban Gardening

Environmental Benefits

• Because produce is grown in local settings as opposed to far-away farms, urban gardening reduces transportation needs, therefore cutting down on carbon emissions.
• Urban gardens are often small-scale operations that employ sustainable gardening practices. Sustainable and organic agriculture eliminates or reduces much of the environmental harm that would be incurred by industrial agricultural methods.
• Green spaces in cities help reduce the urban heat island effect.

Economic Benefits

• Urban agriculture stimulates local economies and supports local food producers.
• Community gardening projects often offer food at little or no cost, which helps bolster food budgets and increase food security.
• Fresh produce promotes healthier diets and improved well-being, which in turn can translate to financial savings.

Social Benefits

• Urban gardening connects residents, strengthens community, and offers opportunities for friendships and social support.
• Urban gardens can be tools of social change that address inequities, systemic racism, and community development issues.

Some of SSCAN’s Favorite Urban Gardening Resources:

Food is Free Project: https://foodisfreeproject.org/

Tilth Alliance: https://tilthalliance.org/

Seattle Giving Garden Network: https://www.sggn.org/

Seattle P-Patch Toolkit for Gardeners: https://www.seattle.gov/neighborhoods/p-patch-gardening/toolkit-for-gardeners

Bradner Garden P-Patch: https://www.bradnergardenspark.org/bradner/patch.html

Mt Baker Food Is Free Community Giving Garden: https://southseattleemerald.com/2020/03/26/mt-baker-resident-sets-up-community-garden-to-aid-those-in-need/

Shark Garden: https://www.sharkgarden.org/