Farming in the hood | Page 2 | General Homesteading Discussion | Forums

If there is ever to be a re-birth of human city life, it will be due to an attitude adjustment such as this. Self sustaining 'farming' on a city lot has long since been proved. I remember a shining example from the 1970s where a couple grew 90%+ of all their food on a 1/8th acre lot! Had the great pleasure of touring this place before it closed down.

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I liken cities to a petrie dish - where the bacteria placed in the center of the food media slowly eats it way outward leaving an abandoned center of waste. Cities need to RENEW just like nature does everywhere. But one must be realistic about limits AND the fact that such an undertaking requires lot & LOTS of human energy.

KVR said
thanks for the link, hadn't seen that before

I find it significant because organizations such as these have been active before (1970s) but didn't last. WHY? is what really needs to be understood. My hat is off to those who are doing this as well as those who are positively changing their lives too. But when I went to the Urban Farming Guys site, watching the India videos got me thinking that they are making a few fundamental errors. It will be interesting to see if what they set up is still working in a few years. And if it is viable, has a local thug taken it over? Just human nature in play .

KVR said
I think it's because people have short memories, the vietnam war, cold war and energy crisis of the 60's and 70's was a big reason for the back to the land movement imo at that time, then with the feel good 80's and economic boom of the 90's people got away from it. Then 9/11 happened and the economic crisis and it's pushing people back towards wanting to live a simpler life. It's the only thing I can figure.

Yes that seem to be  repeating cycle that reflects human nature in action. But what such organizations fail to think about and plan for is how to keep what they put their efforts into economically attractive and part of a daily life to what those set ups are kept going. Especially by those who benefit from the results. Not to criticize, but the plane fares alone could have paid for the items needed AND a maybe a small PV set up to provide stable electrical service for the orphanage lighting. It was a bit naive of the volunteers to bring power tools to an area they didn't even know had poor (limited, less conditioned) power. The price of the cordless skill saw could have bought several hand saws, hammers, chisels and some lumber to start a wood working venture for the orphans to learn and master for their futures. 

Sadly it seems to me that 'westerners' have a very misguided view of the world believing that everywhere is just like 'here at home'. Its  also reflected in the difference I am seeing in the homestead ideas shared here and what homesteading really has to offer us humans.