[audiobook] Public Produce: The New Urban Agriculture by Darrin Nordahl in Arts-Photography

Review

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful. Public land for public produceBy Peg MoranPublic Produce: The New Urban Agriculture may be ahead of its time. It poses an interesting question to city and town planners - and we. the residents: should local food production rank right up there with planning for local housing. roads and education?Darrin Nordahl who has taught at the University of California Extension in Berkeley and now works for the Community and Economic Development Department in Davenport. Iowa. considers municipally sponsored agricultural projects a natural extension of the "post organic/buy local" movement. He presents some stunning projects to prove his point. Local governments can become a change agent in the area of local food production.Mayor Richard Daley of Chicago. who reasons that "importing some food is different from importing most of it." houses a 200.000-member apiary on the green roof of City Hall. Sale of its honey supports local cultural events. Kaiser Permanente. the largest health organization in the country. opens Farmers Markets in thirty of its facilities from Georgia to Hawaii. The first. in Oakland. California. was started because a Kaiser doctor is convinced that "nothing is more important to peoples health that what they eat everyday."In Detroit. Michigan. 30 percent of the citys land is vacant. Community groups have converted these underused locations into local opportunities to produce food. Detroits urban farming recently sparked stories in the New York Times. Seattle adopted a city-wide goal: create a dedicated garden site for each 2.500 households. Providence. Rhode Island intends to double the amount of food grown in and around the city in the next ten years. Des Moines. Iowa. has already moved beyond public food gardens to establish public orchards. grape arbors and a nuttery.The author argues that "the sheer abundance of land within public control necessitates a hard look at how it can best serve the needs of the shareholders" and points to an "increasing number of public officials across the country who believe growing food is not only an acceptable land use. but necessary for the health and well-being of the community.The future will hopefully be. as Nordahl suggests. a time when growing food constitutes "the highest and best use for land." The publication of this book certainly forwards that view of the future.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Informative and CompellingBy Loren BlowersThoroughly enjoyed! As an individual constantly on the lookout for ways to keep my cuisine organic and nutritious. and live in harmony with nature (doing my best ;-). I was thrilled to find this well-written book offering revolutionary--yet easily initiated--strategies for the wise use of land resulting not only in healthy food production. but increased social harmony. Good stuff!0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Got this book for a class....By A.I got this book for a class. so far it is okay. obviously my professors enjoyed it enough to make us buy it. my class mates seem to like it also. If you are interested in Urban Ag. this book is a some what short read. it is only about half an inch thick. I do not remember page numbers. and it is very interesting.