Week 9 - Screen time

I can't help but keep thinking about my screen time and fatigue.  Another day at the computer screen has passed. I have gotten to connect with friends and family over skype with video - a modern wonder really.  I have corresponded with friends and colleagues over email.  I have executed purchases for travel on websites.  I have read over GoogleReader feed and shared and commented and starred various items. I have sat with an empty glass too long without refilling it for water despite my thirst because I just have..one...more..thing to click....I have listened to some great music. I supported a non-profit by voting for them on Facebook (and checked the news feed for a few minutes while I was there, duh).  I have hunted for apartment furniture to finish up our living room.  I have written an original piece for my blog.  I have stayed in constant contact with my boyfriend over gchat from his work.  All these things in front of a computer screen.

Otherwise, I grabbed a bagel and some groceries. But first I used my computer to look up their locations.  I also moved my car and stopped by Goodwill to exchange an item.  I used my smartphone to get directions and check traffic there and back.  I will put away some homewares in our new cabinets we picked up last night from a listing on craigslist.  I will be inspired to design my living room and these cabinets by all the design blogs I looked at today.

Pretty much my entire day is either directly or indirectly tied to the computer.  This can get me down pretty easily. First because I'm lonely at my computer screen despite these great skype and chat contacts.  Second because the screen literally drains my energy and takes my lifeforce out of me (as do many things but I don't engage with them all day).

On the up side, I know that I am engaging and growing in new ways because of this time on the computer.  I also know that I am maintaining relationships through it, however odd that may sound.

I look forward to using the computer rather than having it use me.  How do I do that?  I know it is a mix of self discipline and active choices about what activities I participate in.  I look forward to my classmate's social change project, Facelook, as a tool to get me off the screen.

On that note, time to get up and make dinner: a lovely butternut squash soup that I found online (because my cookbooks have not yet been shipped out here!).

What about....rice?

As prompted by Brian's comment on an earlier post, we must consider the efficiency and appropriateness of planting field crops such as wheat, amaranth, beans, and rice in the city.  Per one of my first posts here, I am concerned with examining the best place and implementation of agriculture in space. There may be some agricultural acts that should not occur in the city for preservation of health, sanitation, peace, and efficiency for all parties involved (ex: you don't want roosters crowing and pooping too much outside your window).  On the specific subject of growing grains and proteins in the city (as crops or animals), I am curious about what resources are either overlooked, underutilized, or need re-arranging to meet these growing purposes.

Peng Quigen in Yang Xunqiao Town on 120sq meter roof

We must imagine it before it can happen.  And I can imagine wheat fields on the roof. And this is probably because I can see rice paddies!  Check out this fantastic movement in Asia.  I have found a handful of rooftop rice paddy references and the best two are here:  Peng Quigen in China and the Hakutsuru Sake in Tokyo.

These are the only 2 documented rice paddies I have found but there are a handful of youtube videos showing rooftop rice in India as well.  There is no data on yield but this doesn't look like your average "hey let's start an experiment on the side and see how it goes" kind of situation but closer to a need for viable production.  Therefore, I doubt they are your average grant funded urban ag experimentalists; these people need this rice to survive.  Then again, I could be wrong and the whole thing has gone through the floor, literally, into the house below.
As with any roof project, one must examine the engineering challenges and I would be curious what additional precautions or adaptations are necessary for rice (and all its water) over, say, wheat or beans which require less water (but more soil).

I find these images immensely inspiring and want to learn more about how these rice fields work and how they are doing today.  I would like to know the inputs necessary in both nutrients, soil, water, and labor as compared to a rice paddy on the ground.  If rice can be done successfully like this, I am very hopeful for wheat, grains, beans, etc.  Anyone have any more info?  Maybe I need a field trip!

Hakutsuru Sake in Tokyo (Photo: Diane Cook and Len Jenshel)

PS The Hakutsuru Sake story links to other exciting projects in Ginza District in Tokyo.

• Interview with Iimura Kazuki (飯村一樹) at Ginza Farm\
• Ginza Farm (in Japanese!)  
• Great VIDEO - Honeybees and rooftop rice in Ginza 

What about...calories and protein?

Looks like I might have a continuing conversation going on here (as I was hoping!). Thank you, Gifford, for your question with regards to other forms of protein and calories from beans and other grains from last week's post.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ariesandrea/
2552263247/in/pool-804083@N22/

This question of calories and protein has sent me down a rabbit hole of inquiry - seeing the whole system makes it very difficult to make any definitive statements on the relative value in calories, protein, environmental impact, and efficiency of any single crop.  I agree with this response: "This is an impossible question to answer accurately, as it changes with the genetics of the plant, the management of the crop and the environment of the crop (soil, specifically)."


But, for the sake of some progress in our thinking, there is some basic data on caloric yields in the US that you can figure out by using the US NASS website.  Fortunately, I found this blog where the author has done some math for me and is also attempting to draw similar comparisons as we are interested in.  I have not done the math on comparative grains - if anyone has it, please dive in.  There seems to be consensus around potatoes having the highest caloric yield by far - and they are dead easy to grow at home, in a city, in a bucket.  I found this book reference that shows the caloric and protein comparison.  I was actually surprised to learn that potatoes have a very high calorie to protein ratio. Potatoes do not compare to soybeans but soy is a debate for another day. People's increasing knowledge of the potential 'un-sustainability' of soy has also helped vegetarians seek out other protein sources.


I have to pause and give my perspective on protein before continuing.  I think it's overhyped.  I think the USDA and the meat packers, meat producers, and all the meat lobbyists have a lot to say about this and that includes using dollars to say so.  Now, I must say I have been vegetarian for 7 years with recent experiments in meat eating when I participated in raising and killing my own chickens.  I have border-line anemia (like many women my age) and have noticed a marked need for new adaptations to my diet, and so am endeavoring to figure out how best to nurture my body as it changes which may include animal proteins.  I firmly believe that every body is different and people's needs for protein vary drastically. And I believe that on average, the US eats more animal protein than any average body requires.  However, I do not want to debate vegetarianism here but rather point out that we must all consciously consider our need for protein, and what types, beyond the silly nutritionism of the USDA (Yes, I believe it is silly and reductionist science. And I concur with Michael Pollen on all points with regards to nutritionism).  


This side note on protein is relevant to help us consider what really needs to be grown in cities.  How much protein do we really need and in what forms?  


I would challenge my city dwelling peers especially to reconsider their protein needs and from where they are fulfilled.  We can produce meat in the city, we can produce Three Sisters (beans, corn, and squash), and we need to pay particular attention to how much we need as that will dictate how we grow it.  


So, in my next post I will throw out some ideas for how we might actually grow these sources of calories and protein in the city.  

Week 8 - Ambient and Immersive Media

This week in my social media class at BGI (the prompt for this blog) we are discussing ambient and immersive forms of media.  I have been thinking a lot about ambient intimacy (see my first post on this) especially as I settle into the intensity of NYC from the medium pace of Portland OR.  Many of us touch ambient media daily.  The constant hum of the city is one that is new to me but I have always enjoyed sounds as comfort through a lonely day.  Having music or a radio on in the background, often easily drowned out, is taken up a notch in a cafe.  As described in that earlier post, I crave ambient intimacy on long solo days of consulting and studying - I run to the cafe amidst the whirl of customers, the whistle of espresso machines, the racket of the street jumping through the front door. I consume all these sounds and energy as an affirmation of my connection to something other than my computer screen. And then on a technological level, I check the Facebook news feed briefly about once a day, occasionally check news headlines, and check my email almost obsessively. I feel that I have explored ambient forms of media.

The concept of immersive media is more foreign to me. No doubt, I have immersed myself in a great movie, listened to a remarkable podcast and noticed the I've crossed town before 'snapping' out of my headphones.  When it comes to actually participating in this media, however, I am totally a newcomer.

Something that concerns me about ambient media is the inability to be alone anymore.  I have noticed my need to have music on, a view of people or nature passing by, and to communicate with people over email, messengers, Facebook, or other means almost constantly when not in the physical presence of friends.  What does that say about me? About our human evolution?

I think it means it's time for me to get back on the mat.

Week 7 - Cultivate, Coordinate, Collaborate

I'm just back from a week in the beautiful Pacific North West for a weekend intensive at BGI.  It was a stark contrast to return to my once home from my air-mattress transient situation in NYC right now.  I enjoyed drinking in the wet green landscape and got a walk in the woods in despite my transportation woes (15 hours from Portland to Seattle; questioning Amtrak once again).

I finally knocked out some good self-reflection and writing and have my next iteration of my 'personal brand.' You can see my previous post with my brand wordles that gave me some guidance. I also harvested my friend's opinions through class and Facebook for ideas about what I already convey about myself and should more explicitly express.  I have posted my updated brand on the About Me page of this blog. I would love your feedback of all styles and sorts whether you know me or not.  Thanks!! 

What about...wheat?

...more properly what about legumes and cereals?

Image via Bern@t on Flickr under a Creative Commons License

Last week while at a Living City/Concrete Carrot event, Domenic Vitiello of PennState Urban Planning made a somewhat passing comment about how, of course, we don't want mono-crops in the city (anymore than elsewhere, like the midwest).  Specifically he was showing us some renderings of visions of reuse and pointing out how unrealistic some of them were: wheat fields in the city, tropical plants in Philadelphia....

My initial reaction was like everyone else's: "right, monoculture is bad, biodiversity is good. and bananas won't grow in Philadelphia."

And then I remembered my ag hero Wes Jackson of The Land Institute.  Last year I was lucky to meet him at an Illahee Lecture in Portland OR.  He blew my mind by busting my assumptions about the sustainable agriculture movement and feeding humans.

Before I go on, don't mistaken me, I passionately believe in the visions of urban agriculture as means to accessible healthy food, individual empowerment, community building, and so much more. AND I am curious about whether and how we might fully feed ourselves and meet the goal of a truly local and sustainable food system for our cities.

To this end, Wes has pointed out that we humans are grain eaters (70% of our calories).  We put our heirloom tomato sauce over pasta.  We lay our fresh seasonal stir fry over rice.  We pour our rGBT-free raw milk over granola (home-made of course).  Whether you are gluten/wheat-free, vegan, carnivore, whatever - you eat grains (and if you don't, most of the world does - 70% of global ag land is covered in it).

Wes, as I do, applauds the 'sustainable agriculture' movement and also points out how coastal it is.  At its best current trajectory, the coasts will have all the veggies they want.  I have no doubt that we can have abundant produce - but other than produce (veggies and fruits), what else?

So this all got me thinking, what about wheat? Why not wheat?

In what ways might we grow perennialized (See Wes' writings for more on perennialization) grains (and legumes and tree nuts and dairy and meat) in the city?


Do you have any ideas or projects you've heard of? Please comment below.

Creative Action & Assumptions in Urban Ag

Last night I had the pleasure of attending my second urbanag event this week at Parsons The New School for Design.  This public talk on Creative Action and Everyday Agriculture, part of the Living City/Concrete Carrot exhibition, was inspiring and thought provoking.  We heard from 4 different creatives, fairly academic, and all presenting us with their urbanag projects.  You can watch the streamcast of the entire event here.

The panelists each had 5 minutes to give us the overview of what they do.  As expected, Tattfoo Tan amused and excited the crowd with his SOS (sustainable organic stewardship) military themed artivism including his self-made boy scout style patches for his accomplishments in learning that adorned his jumpsuit.  My favorite of his project is his take on Black Gold and the GREENraid.  Sign the SOS pledge here.

Domenic Vitiello gave us the context of everday urbanism transformed to everday urban agriculture through the Philadelphia scene in which he teaches Urban Planning at Penn State.  See an upcoming post on my thoughts on wheat prompted by his contributions.

Eve Mosher spoke of her visionary art projects in the city to help re-imagine our landscape.   Most interesting to me was the fact that she claimed the "Seeding the City" project had failed due to people's inability to spread the idea.  The basis of this project is that she will install a greenroof module (grm) on your roof if you tell her of 3 interested friends.  Greenroof for free in exchange for social network.  She said that it seemed difficult for people to promote and discuss the project and so it lost energy - apparently people could not find 3 interested contacts. However, through the fledgling beginnings she found that institutional interest was quite high and so she has adapted and now is seeking Kickstarter funding for workshops for institutional installations.



Finally, Laura DeLind left me emotionally stirred with her story of community building (read: cultivated a village) in Lansing. The Lansing Urban Farm Project (LUFP) is straight out of a story book (Seedfolks to be exact!) with neighbors meeting for the first time, a food desert transformed to provide healthy diets, community resources manifesting, infinite learning and curiosity, and have-nots becoming have-alls.  Takeaway - "earth work" creates community and

• support
• security
• discovery
• self-reliance
• empowerment
• place
• growth
• what else?  add your ideas below...

Haven't I been saying this all along? ;)  Nice to hear it in a public space.  

Assumptions and Solutions

One thing that kept coming up and I felt compelled to share here is the assumption that urban agriculture needs to happen in poor places; that somehow those people need us to help make their place better; that they don't have anything and that this can help them have something.   

This assumption is a classic us and them rhetoric that requires us to believe that poor communities are poor in resources (and thus us with money can help them without).  

Approaching poor financially as poor in resources is self-defeating.  When we impose a sense of problem and lacking on someone else, we deny their inherent abilities and capacities for solutions.  The tool of community asset mapping and evidence such as the LUFP and every time a piece of trash becomes food (not edible but in the cradle to cradle sense) show us time and again that we don't need money to be rich.  The longest lasting most viable urban ag projects are those without external inputs, either financially or materially. And yet why, in a room of highly intelligent people participating in, experiencing, or just observing this movement do we still hear statements that subjugate the financially poor to the financially rich despite their equal resources and so many success stories from 'nothing'??

Conditioning. We are used to this assumption because this (however broadly defined) society uses money to determine wealth.  Rather than taking the negative rail on last night's assumptions, I see it as a sign of hope.  Urban ag is one of those mediums for transformation - from valuing money to valuing resources, resources that anyone and everyone can have such as the ability to connect with neighbors, to offer skills, to offer a hand, to witness nature and your own nature, to create, nurture, learn, grow, nourish, and succeed.  

Week 6 - Brand Wordle

Thank to my buddy Nina over at Secretarian't, I have re-started my personal branding exercise with the wordle. Below are a few iterations of my brand wordle thanks to my good friend's input by way of the book of faces and the in person version at Bainbridge Graduate Institute.

I have chosen colors and fonts that resonate with me.  Which one resonates with you - whether you know me or don't?

Brand Wordle 1

Brand Wordle 2 

Brand Wordle 3

Brand Wordle 4

NYCUrbanAg Roundup - Nov 2

I imagine this may just be the first of a series of NYCUrbanAg updates.

Having nearly just landed in NYC from Portland, OR, I am dazzled by the agriculture opportunities, both urban and rural.  I spent last weekend on farms in upstate with friends, breathing the fresh air and witnessing the end of the season as a cold front rolled in.

Jake Pflaum and Lauren Jones (Farm Intern at Little Seed Gardens)
(Photo Credit: Jonney Taee)

Anne Eschendroeder, Farm Manager at Phillies Bridge Farm Project

I returned to the city with excitement to finally dive into the local urban ag scene having tasted the rural one all weekend.  Last night was my first taste of urban at the Farm City DIY Utopia event.    A diverse, especially by Portland standards, group gathered upstairs in the Old Stone House last night, Nov 1.  We were greeted by some Brooklyn Brewery ales and the walls covered with items from the Brooklyn Utopias: Farm City exhibit.  You can see the lineup on the website but here's my 2 cents.


Overview by way of my mindmap: 

Permaculture & Compost: Claudia Joseph
why this is cool: compost anywhere with everything, beautiful garden out of nothing

Sub Irrigated Planters: Frieda Lim
why this is cool: beautiful rooftop garden with sub irrigated planters, well designed and well implemented, re-use of food grade materials

Adopt-A-Farmbox: Aki and Ron Baker, Yemi Amu
why this is cool: stakeholder engagement from the ground up to benefit across entire system of a school, benefits all stakeholders

Rainwater Harvesting: Andrew Casner, Grow NYC
why this is cool: stop contributing to 73 sewage overflows a year into our surrounding water because of combined sewer overflow (cso) by diverting rainwater for good use

Social Media Strategies for Urban Farmers: Hugh McMullen, a Goddam Cobra, Fenton
why this is cool: marketing is no longer broadcasting, it is accessible and it is participatory, have a conversation
(sorry no photo)

Thanks to Derek Denckla and Katherine Gressel for organizing last night's event.

Next up?
Tomorrow (Wed Nov 3) at the Parsons The New School, a talk on the role of creative practices in urban ag!  From 6:30-8:30pm, you can meet me there for free or watch it streaming online.

Week 6 - Participation Overload?

Last week's readings addressed the various levels of participation and engagement.  Having greatly increased my level of participation in the online community, I am finding myself overwhelmed, like many classmates.

I am simultaneously tickled (yes, I said it) by the reaction to my first video ("They like me, they really like me!").  And I am still unclear on how I can possibly manage all these mediums.  Take my video as just one example - it is posted on Youtube, Facebook, and this blog.  All three places can receive comments.  Oh, and if someone is following me on their reader, they can comment and share it there as well.  So I am tracking 4 different sites for the same video.  This gives me easy promotion of content but how do I managing tracking just this single item?

That's just one piece of my content. Then there is managing my participation with other people's content. I realize there is not really a distinct line between 'my' content and 'other's' content.  So I have things loaded into googlereader which helps but again I can comment in the reader and/or on the blog itself.

My optimism says that I am near the tipping point from quickly taking on lots of new skills and responsibility to an easy and efficient engagement in the online world.  I feel the benefits of this engagement already, especially sitting alone in a new city, through almost constant contact with those I care about and those that care about what I'm writing - sure does feel good to have someone comment on your post!

Video Introduction

I have created my first video - it's rudimentary and maybe shocking ;) - but it gives you an idea of what this blog might be about.  Would love your feedback.

Food Sovereignty/Democracy

This past week was the Terra Madre 2010 of the Slow Food Movement in Italy.  What a perfect time to consider what slow food is.  Well, straight from the source:
"Slow Food is an idea, a way of living and a way of eating. It is a global, grassroots movement with thousands of members around the world that links the pleasure of food with a commitment to community and the environment."
I particularly like this last bit - "a commitment to community and the environment."  This is the village - its people and place.  And so it is fitting that I comment on

In light of this recent event, I've just been listening to this fantastic panel of speakers from a few years ago at the Slow Food Nation gathering (including Vandana Shiva, Carlo Petrini, Raj Patal, Michael Pollen).  Among other very interesting commentary by these hot shots of the food movement, I was buzzing when Raj Patel explained food sovereignty - the concept of providing the ability to participate in the food system rather than having it thrust upon you. Particularly this has to do with the choice of farmers to eat and grow what they like with access to fair markets to support their choices.  A few key quotes:

"Most of us have never experienced democracy. What we have experienced is its poor cousin: consumer choice.  What we've experienced is the choice between Coke and Pepsi." - Raj Patel


"What's actually free trade is actually forced trade." - Vandana Shiva on the WTO and the need for domestic sovereignty

"We all need to participate in a global campaign to eliminate the word consumer...The conception is consumption...When it comes to food, we have to think of ourselves as co-coproducers." - Carlo Petrini, Founder and President of Slow Food organization

I could go on about the great commentary and strongly recommend your viewing of this hour of video to get a great crash course in the political, economic, and social issues tied up in the food security movement.  Why this resonates on this topic of urban agriculture?  If the battlegrounds of this movement are in the big farms in the midwest or the rice fields of India, then rooftops and pocket gardens and urban oasis are the training grounds for our food movement militia.  I hate to draw a violent metaphor but come along with me just to get the bigger idea.  We ALL need training and experience in the details of growing our OWN food for our OWN consumption and sharing - then we can support transforming the larger system that exists physically distant from cities but very intimately related on our plates and in our wallets.  As Carlo explained, we have to think of ourselves as co-producers and not detached consumers distinct from the source of our food.  We can be responsible and we can participate, anywhere and everywhere.

Go meet your farmer? Go be our farmer (or gardener, or cook).