Why Urban Farming Isn’t Just for Foodies

This year, Carol Nissen’s crops include mesclun, cherry tomatoes, strawberries, and assorted herbs. When she sits down to dine, she’s often eating food grown with her own two hands. But Nissen isn’t tilling the soil on a farm. She’s a Web designer who lives in Jersey City, New Jersey [USA] — one of the most cramped, concrete-laden landscapes in the nation. Nissen’s vegetables thrive in pots and boxes crammed into her house and in wee plots in her yard. “I’m a micro-gardener,” she says. “It’s a pretty small townhouse. But it’s amazing what you can do without much space.” The term for this is urban farming — the art of growing vegetables in cities that otherwise resemble the Baltimore of The Wire.It has become increasingly trendy in recent years, led by health-conscious foodies coveting just-picked produce, as well as hipsters who dig the roll-your-own vibe. Read Article

By Clive Thompson