From urban farms to green roofs and school gardens, urban agriculture’s popularity has steadily increased in recent years — and for good reason. Urban agriculture plants a seed of wellness by improving physical and mental health, community revitalization and environmental awareness.
The body
People in the land of the free aren't necessarily known for small waistlines. With fast food restaurants at every corner, and climbing obesity rates, it’s important to diversify ways the problem can be remedied. This is especially crucial for children and adolescents who are at greater risk of developing health complications from unhealthy eating.
The hope is that children exposed to community gardening will form a connection with locally grown food, leading to healthier dietary choices. There is nothing better than being able to walk into your backyard and pick fresh food to use for a meal that evening. You learn to respect the earth and your body.
Gardening requires physical activity. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, gardening is considered a moderate-intensity activity, which can reduce risk of coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke and depression. The CDC recommends 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity activity for adults, while children need one hour of physical activity per day.
The mind
We always hear that spending time outdoors can improve our mental health, but gardening isn’t usually the first thing that comes to mind. For example, a study published in the Journal of Health Psychology reported variation of stress-relief levels from gardening and reading. Cortisol levels and mood were measured. While cortisol levels decreased for each activity, the decreases were significantly stronger from gardening.
Nature and green spaces bring about relaxation and lower stress levels. A garden provides peace and quiet while allowing the mind to unwind by focusing on planting seeds, trimming dead leaves, picking ripe fruit or hunting down sneaky insects.
Community revitalization
Communities also reap benefits from urban agriculture. One way is through food security. With more than 2.3 million food deserts — an area where it is difficult to buy affordable, fresh food — urban agriculture provides high-quality nourishment only blocks away from residents. Community gardens unite adults and children by letting them participate in a project that contributes to their wellbeing.
Los Angeles urban gardener Ron Finley said in a 2013 TED Talk, "What I’m trying to do is change the meaning of what a gangsta is. If you ain’t a gardener, you ain’t a gangsta. It’s all about help building your community and not tearing it down," he said. Finley took it upon himself to turn abandoned lots in South Central Los Angeles into urban gardens where the community could come help plant or pick vegetables.
Novella Carpenter, urban farmer and author of "Farm City," established an urban farm in the vacant lot next to her house in Oakland, California. In "Farm City," she describes her passion and history with gardening. She goes from ordering a few chickens through direct mail, to finding herself in the thick of a pig auction.
Though Oakland seems an unlikely spot for an urban farm, and not necessarily the best place to allow strangers to wander through your yard like Carpenter did, she was able to break down stereotypical barriers and exemplify ways urban agriculture brings communities together.
Schools have also reported success with garden-based learning. Jane Hirschi, director of CitySprouts, a nonprofit that helps schools build gardens, told The Huffington Post, "School gardens, it turns out, are amazing places for kids to learn basic academic subjects, to understand what science and the natural world are all about." In addition, research from the University of Illinois shows that green spaces improve concentration in children with ADHD.
At last, nothing brings people together (or apart) more than sports. The Boston Red Sox are the latest to participate in the urban agriculture movement. What started with a few beefsteak tomato plants to reverse bad karma has transitioned to an expansive urban farm. According to ThinkProgress, five major league teams have installed urban farms in their stadiums, calling attention to improved sustainability.
Whether it’s a backyard garden or an all-out urban farm at a baseball stadium, urban agriculture promotes wellness in many areas. Not only does it supply healthier food options and improve mental wellbeing, it allows communities to make use of vacant land and reunite for a common purpose.
