Urban Farming and Rooftop Gardens

Urban farming, in general, refers to the cultivation or production of food within urban areas, often in underutilized city locales such as vacant lots, community parks, or rooftops. In the past 15 years, the United States has witnessed a renaissance of food production in urban areas. From Birmingham, Alabama, to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to New York City, New York, to Detroit, Michigan, people are reclaiming unused or abandoned properties to produce fruits, vegetables, eggs, honey, and even goat milk within city limits. The new crop of urban farmers ranges from do-it-yourself backyard homesteaders seeking to gain a measure of self-sufficiency to loose-knit groups of residents who [Page 1405]have reclaimed empty properties, to nonprofit organizations with sophisticated education and food security programs. No matter their size, scale, ...