farms in cities
March 25, 2008Surprisingly enough, there do exist urban farms in Canadian cities.
Ottawa Central Experimental Farm from above, Image from Google Earth
One is the Ottawa Experimental Farm, which is very close to downtown (just southwest of Parliament Hill). This farm not only has a large swath of land dedicated to growing crops and testing out new cultivation techniques, it has an extensive built campus of research laboratories, government ministries, greenhouses, visitor facilities, and even an arboretum.
McGill University’s MacDonald Campus from above, Image from Google Earth
In Montreal, McGill University`s MacDonald Campus serves the agricultural sciences faculties. There is an extensive farm for teaching, research, and learning purposes attached to a campus of university buildings, residences, and libraries.
Crops growing in the midst of Ottawa, Image courtesy of Friends of the Central Experimental Farm
These farms are a good alternative to the large urban park that has been copied from Central Park so often. They can provide the breathing room for a dense city, connect people to nature and food, and make productive use of land at the same time. Urban farms can accomplish all this without even needing to be housed in skyscrapers and other crazy inventions!
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada: Central Experimental Farm
Friends of the Central Experimental Farm
Urban-ism: Sustainable Food
thx I ll pinch this for my blog with a link !
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This is awesome! A bit of rural in the Urban. Definately adds to the scenary in a city.