How can we effectively use space in the city for gardening?
Toronto does not need to re-invent the wheel. Others have used their gift of imagination to grow food locally and provide one of the necessities of life to people who live in a “food desert” – an area of the city where there are no supermarkets available.
At Newtonbrook United Church the Green Team has inspired a group to create the Newtonbrook Neighbourhood Garden. The team is in the process of converting the south lawn of the church into a garden that will serve guests at the Wednesday Drop Inn, and neighbours of the church.
On Wednesday, February 1, 2012, a documentary film by Mark MacInnis’, titled “Urban Roots”, was screened at the National Film Board at 150 John Street in Toronto. I saw it; enjoyed it, and was inspired by this story. A description of the film is as follows:
URBAN ROOTS is a documentary that tells the story of the spontaneous emergence of urban farming in the city of Detroit. Detroit, once an industrial powerhouse of a lost American era, is a city devastated by the loss of half its population due to the collapse of manufacturing. By the looks of it, the city has died. But now, against all odds, in the empty lots, in the old factory yards, and in-between the sad, sagging blocks of company housing, seeds of change are taking root. With the most vacant lots in the country, citizens are reclaiming their spirits by growing food. A small group of dedicated citizens have started an urban environmental movement with the potential to transform not just a city after its collapse, but also a country after the end of its industrial age. Urban Roots shows dedicated Detroiters working tirelessly to fulfill their vision for locally-grown, sustainably farmed food in a city where people… Written by Anonymous
Check out the trailer at: http://urbanrootsamerica.com/urbanrootsamerica.com/Home.html
allanbaker 