Education
Community education and outreach is a vital to ensuring the continued success of community agriculture. In addition to teaching the community to plant and harvest crops, food preservation, seed maintenance and environmental stewardship will all be integrated into the education program.

Alternative Growing Methods
Alternative growing methods such as permaculture and hydroponic agriculture allow higher yields and are not limited by the soil conditions, topography and other limiting environmental factors.

“Hydroponics (from the Greek words hydro water and ponos labor) is a method of growing plants using mineral nutrient solutions, without soil. Terrestrial plants may be grown with their roots in the mineral nutrient solution only or in an inert medium, such as perlite, gravel, or mineral wool.” Wikipedia

“Permaculture is an approach to designing human settlements and perennial agricultural systems that mimic the relationships found in natural ecologies.” Wikipedia

Art
Art is a universal language representing beauty and engaging the senses. Art will be integral to proving a constantly evolving community amenity and ensuring continued support.

A family of four can cultivate enough produce to meet the needs of the family in a 12 foot by 12 foot greenhouse if properly trained and educated.

Traditional Greenhouses“A greenhouse (also called a glasshouse) is a building where plants are cultivated. A greenhouse is a structure with a glass or plastic roof and frequently glass or plastic walls; it heats up because incoming solar radiation from the sun warms plants, soil, and other things inside the building faster than heat can escape the structure. Air warmed by the heat from hot interior surfaces is retained in the building by the roof and wall. These structures range in size from small sheds to very large buildings.” Wikipedia

Greenhouses have traditionally used energy and space conditioning to maintain a more temperate climate. By placing the greenhouse into the earth, the interior temperatures become more consistent. By using renewable technologies, we can maintain this temperate environment without using non-renewable resources.

Walipini
A walipini is an earthen greenhouse structure. Locating the majority of the structure underground helps maintain a steady temperature and a southward orientation allows sunlight to warm the structure throughout the day. See Pictures. A solar thermal hot water system collects excess heat during the day and stores this heat to temper the structure through the night. Learn how

A 5 Acre Model
Each Walipini can produce enough food for x people. A five acre parcel can have in excess of 30 walipinis, generating enough food to feed a community of xxx. In addition to the Walipinis, each growing space will accommodate outdoor artist gardens, more traditional greenhouse structures and incorporate an experiential community education program. Each growing space will be unique to its site and the neighborhood needs. This will ensure the success of each of the growing space developments within the community.

Benefits of Community Agriculture

Personal
Being a part of a community agriculture program will enhance your knowledge of agriculture, horticulture and the food growing and preserving processes. In addition, you will have an innate knowledge of the foods you are eating, ensuring you are being as good to your body as you are to your environment. Helping to grow your own food, or support the farmers growing it for you connects you with your food and gives you a sense of well being and self sufficiency. It provides an opportunity for you to enhance yourself and become a part of your community in a beautiful, natural, beneficial manner.

Community
Creating shared experiences within the community will provide a sense of ownership in the community and bring people together outside the shared experience. Community agriculture supports the local economy, enhances the community though enhanced open space and community involvement as well as providing activities for all community members, from small children to the elderly. It is an opportunity for a community to come together to grow their food and teach each other.

Environmental
Urban and local agricultural practices will enrich the environment by productively using open space, reducing carbon in the air and expanding the community knowledge of food production and local ecosystems. It also reduces the need to truck food across the country, or across the globe to meet our growing needs and helps ensure access to food, reducing our reliance on factory farms and unsustainable growth practices. Not to mention the practice of permaculture eliminates the need for harmful pesticides and herbicides on our foods.

How can you get involved?
If you would like to get involved, please come talk to us. We need assistance with the following items:
Grant Writing / Fundraising
Community Outreach
Community Agriculture Advocacy
Art Garden Development
Construction and Demonstration of Walipini Greenhouses