With over 90% of Australians living in urban centres, long food supply chains and high supermarket prices mean fresh, healthy food is becoming too expensive for low income-earners. More and more people are turning to Foodbanks to supplement their weekly diet. Something which is becoming an increasing concern.
But there is a solution to this issue.
Urban farms are popping up all over Australia to increase access to nutritious, affordable food. By using local land and biosystems to provide food for urban communities, these farms reduce food miles and ensure people have the freshest produce without paying for the cost of long-distance transport.
Brisbane City Council enables urban farms and community gardens to flourish by leasing land for the gardens, providing grants for funding and running awareness events.
An example of a successful urban farm in Brisbane is:
Northey Street City Farm
Northey Street City Farm was one of Australia’s first urban farms and is a four-hectare site situated on the banks of Brisbane’s Breakfast Creek in Windsor. This edible oasis was started as a community permaculture project in 1994.
It now offers a shared kitchen garden, extensive market garden areas and allotments where people can grow their own food. There are also chicken runs, compost systems, cooking classes, yoga groups, permaculture talks and more.
Get Started With Urban Farming
If you’re interested in learning more about growing your own food you can take permaculture and gardening classes in Brisbane. With subjects from growing mushrooms to kitchen gardens for schools and communities, there are a wide variety of topics available.
You can also do complete urban farmer courses which run for approximately three months and include: chook care, beekeeping, propagating, seed saving and more.
Once you have the necessary skills for running an urban farm, you may want to get your own community garden or city farm started. Check out the Australian City Farms and Community Gardens Network which is a community-based organisation that links people interested in city farming.
The website has a lot of information on starting a community garden and everything you need to consider that is involved. They are also able to give advice if you need to make an enquiry.
Global provides a range of agricultural products for use in urban farming such as garden planters and urban water storage tanks. Our rotomoulded products are 100% recyclable, UV stabilised for Australian conditions and made from polyethylene plastic suitable for food contact use. We can also make custom rotomoulded products for whatever purpose you have in mind. Contact us today to find out more!
