1. URBAN FARMS AS PART OF A COMMUNITY BASED FOOD SYSTEM
A SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY BASED FOOD SYSTEM SHOULD WORK ON THREE LEVELS
SOCIAL
ENGAGE YOUTH
PROVIDE EDUCATION
MAKE NUTRITIOUS FOOD
AFFORDABLE
MAKE NUTRITIOUS FOOD
ACCESSIBLE
INCREASE ETHNIC FOOD OPTIONS
FOSTER CONSUMER/PRODUCER
INTERACTIONS
ECONOMIC
PROVIDE BUSINESS
OPPORTUNITY
CREATE JOBS
DEVELOP WORKFORCE AND/OR
ENTREPRENEURIALISM
ENVIRONMENTAL
REDUCE TRANSPORTATION
ENERGY
REUSE VACANT LAND
MITIGATE SOIL CONTAMINATION
SUSTAIN FARMLAND
INCREASE BIODIVERSITY
BUILD LOCAL FOOD
INFRASTRUCTURE
RECYCLE WASTE
THIS INCLUDES THE PRODUCTION PROCESSING AND CONSUMPTION OF FOOD GROWN
AND THE USE OF ALL POSSIBLE BYPRODUCTS

2. COMMUNITY AND NETWORKS
CULTIVATE KANSAS CITY
CULTIVATE KANSAS CITY IS A LOCALLY-GROWN NON-PROFIT WORKING
TO GROW FOOD, FARMS AND COMMUNITIES FOR A HEALTHY LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM. THIS IS
THEIR MISSION STATEMENT:
WE GROW FOOD. WE'RE FARMERS WHO WORK TO FEED YOU, YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR COMMUNITY
GOOD, FRESH, REAL FOOD RIGHT HERE IN KANSAS CITY.
WE GROW FARMS. WE'RE EDUCATORS, TRAINERS, FACILITATORS AND ORGANIZERS.
WE WORK TO HELP GROWERS DEVELOP SKILLS AND ACCESS RESOURCES TO START SUSTAINABLE FARM
BUSINESSES ON OUR CITY'S VACANT LAND.
FOOD
GIBBS ROAD FARM
WE GROW COMMUNITY. WE BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER. WE HELP FARMERS CONNECT WITH EACH
OTHER. WE HELP FARMERS CONNECT TO THEIR NEIGHBORS AND COMMUNITY. WE HELP YOU CONNECT
WITH YOUR FARMERS.
THE GIBBS ROAD FARM (ORIGINALLY ESTABLISHED IN 1997 AS FULL CIRCLE FARM) IS A CERTIFIED ORGANIC VEGETABLE
PRODUCTION FARM SITTING ON TWO ACRES IN SOUTHERN WYANDOTTE COUNTY, KANSAS CITY, KANSAS. AS CULTIVATE
KANSAS CITY’S MODEL AND DEMONSTRATION FARM, THEY PARTICIPATE IN THE GROWING GROWERS PROGRAM HOSTING
SEVERAL APPRENTICES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR; THEY EXPERIMENT WITH HIGH TUNNEL, RAISED BED AND NO-TILL
PRODUCTION; AND OFFER TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO OTHER GROWERS. THE FARM IS, IN MOST YEARS, FINANCIALLY
SELF-SUSTAINING FROM SALES OF VEGETABLES AND TRANSPLANTS; SOME OF THEIR EDUCATIONAL AND DEMONSTRATION
ACTIVITIES AT THE FARM ARE FUNDED THROUGH LOCAL AND NATIONAL GRANTS.
GIBBS ROAD FARM IN A TYPICAL YEAR:
PRODUCES 25,000 POUNDS OF CERTIFIED ORGANIC VEGETABLES ANNUALLY, INCLUDING OVER FORTY CROPS
MAINTAINS SALES OF $100,000 ANNUALLY, ESTABLISHING IT AS ONE OF THE AREA’S LARGEST VEGETABLE PRODUCERS
PRODUCES FOOD FOR A 40 MEMBER COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE (CSA) PROGRAM, AS WELL AS A WINTER PRODUCTION CSA
SELLS AT THREE LOCAL FARMERS MARKETS (INCLUDING A WINTER MARKET)
SELL WHOLESALE TO SEVERAL LOCAL RESTAURANTS
photos and text from www.cultivatekc.org

3. THE PLANT - CHICAGO
THE PLANT’S MISSION IS TO PROMOTE CLOSED-LOOP FOOD PRODUCTION
AND SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THROUGH EDUCATION AND RESEARCH
GOALS
1. DEVELOP EFFICIENT, REPLICABLE AQUAPONIC
FARMING SYSTEMS THAT REDUCE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
2. CONSTRUCT AND OPERATE A SHARED KITCHEN
TO ENCOURAGE ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND JOB CREATION
3. OFFER BROAD EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING ON ALL
OF THE PLANT’S SUSTAINABLE ACTIVITIES
PLANT CHICAGO’S AQUAPONIC FARM
CURRENTLY OCCUPIES 7,000 SF IN
THE BASEMENT OF THE PLANT.
THEY CURRENTLY HAVE THREE, THREE-THOUSAND GALLON SYSTEMS HOUSING
APPROXIMATELY 600 FISH EACH, AND ABOUT 3000 SF OF PLANT GROW
BEDS PLANTED INTENSIVELY WITH ARUGULA, LETTUCE, HERBS, AND
OTHER SALAD GREENS

4. FARMS
OUR GOAL IS TO HELP PEOPLE GROW FOOD TO FEED OTHER
PEOPLE, AS BUSINESSES AND AS NON-PROFIT PROGRAMS,
AND TO HELP THESE GROWERS LEARN THE SKILLS THEY NEED,
ACCESS THE RESOURCES THAT ARE OUT THERE FOR THEM, AND
DEVELOP FARMS THAT ARE PRODUCTIVE, SUSTAINABLE AND
ENGAGED WITH THEIR COMMUNITY.
COMMUNITY
WE BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER. WE HELP FARMERS CONNECT
TO EACH OTHER. WE HELP FARMERS CONNECT TO THEIR
NEIGHBORS AND THEIR COMMUNITY. WE HELP COMMUNITIES
CONNECT TO THEIR FARMERS THROUGH THE URBAN
FARMS & GARDENS TOUR. WE EDUCATE, INSPIRE, AND
SUPPORT THE CREATION OF LEARNING CIRCLES, NETWORKS,
AND RELATIONSHIPS, ALL BASED IN THE UNIVERSAL HUMAN
PRACTICE OF GROWING FOOD TO FEED OURSELVES AND OTHERS.

5. EDIBLE SCHOOLYARD BY WORKac
WORKING WITH EDIBLE SCHOOLYARD NY, ALICE WATERS’ CHEZ PANISSE FOUNDATION AND PS216 IN BROOKLYN,
WORKAC IS DESIGNING NEW YORK CITY’S FIRST EDIBLE SCHOOLYARD. THE DESIGN IS A SERIES OF INTERLINKED
SUSTAINABLE SYSTEMS THAT PRODUCE ENERGY AND HEAT, COLLECT RAINWATER, PROCESS COMPOST AND
SORT WASTE WITH AN OFF-GRID INFRASTRUCTURE.
AT THE HEART OF THE PROJECT IS THE KITCHEN CLASSROOM, WHERE UP TO THIRTY STUDENTS CAN PREPARE
AND ENJOY MEALS TOGETHER. THE KITCHEN’S BUTTERFLY-SHAPED ROOF CHANNELS RAIN WATER FOR RECLAMATION.
CONNECTED TO ONE SIDE IS THE MOBILE GREENHOUSE, EXTENDING THE GROWING SEASON BY COVERING
1600SF OF SOIL IN THE COLDER MONTHS AND SLIDING AWAY IN THE SPRING, OVER THE KITCHEN CLASSROOM.
ON THE OTHER SIDE IS THE SYSTEMS WALL: A SERIES OF SPACES THAT INCLUDE A CISTERN, SPACE FOR COMPOSTING
AND WASTE-SORTING, SOLAR BATTERIES, DISHWASHING FACILITIES, A TOOL SHED AND A CHICKEN COOP.
copyright work architecture company

6. HYBRID OF HYDROPONICS AND AQUACULTURE
excellent source
of protein.
usually tilapia
or perch.
AQUAPONICS IS A CLOSED LOOP SYSTEM
IN WHICH FISH ARE FARMED AS WELL AS
VEGETABLES. THE FISH AND PLANTS HAVE
A SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP, EACH
PRODUCING WHAT THE OTHER NEEDS. THIS
METHOD IS VERSATILE, CAN BE DONE
INDOORS OR OUT, AND SCALABLE, CAN BE
DONE AT HOME OR COMMERCIALLY.
fish
produce
ammonia rich
waste
bacteria
breaks down the
ammonia into
nitrates for
plants to use
as fertilizer
collects in grow
trays and on plant
roots
plants
water is cycled
continuously between
the fish tank and
grow beds with a pump
water
AQUAPONICS
housed in growing
trays,either floating
or in gravel
absorb nitrates
and filter water
to be sent back
to the fish
can grow much more
per square foot
than in soil

7. FOOD HUBS ACCESS FOR CONSUMERS AND PRODUCERS
WHAT IS A FOOD HUB?
THE WORKING DEFINITION OF A REGIONAL FOOD HUB IS A BUSINESS OR ORGANIZATION
THAT ACTIVELY MANAGES THE AGGREGATION, DISTRIBUTION, AND MARKETING OF
SOURCEIDENTIFIED FOOD PRODUCTS PRIMARILY FROM LOCAL AND REGIONAL PRODUCERS
FOR THE PURPOSE OF STRENGTHENING PRODUCER CAPACITY AND ACCESS TO WHOLESALE,
RETAIL, AND INSTITUTIONAL MARKETS. FOOD HUBS HAVE POSITIVE ECONOMIC, SOCIAL
AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES, AND FILL A CRITICAL GAP IN
REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEMS.
FOOD HUBS CAN PROVIDE A SINGLE DROPOFF AND PICKUP POINT FOR PRODUCE TO BE
DISTRIBUTED TO CONSUMERS, RESTAURANTS OR INSTITUTIONS SUCH AS UNIVERSITIES,
HOSPITALS AND OTHER LARGE BUSINESSES. FOOD HUBS CAN IMPROVE ACCESS TO HEALTHY
FOODS IN LOWINCOME, UNDERSERVED AREAS BY MAKING IT EASIER FOR FARMERS TO OFFER
THEIR PRODUCTS IN THESE AREAS. FOOD HUBS CAN FACILITATE RELATIONSHIPS...AND
PROVIDE SERVICES THROUGH SUCH THINGS AS FACILITATING RELATIONSHIPS WITH
PURCHASERS OF THEIR PRODUCTS IN THESE NEIGHBORHOODS AND PROVIDING SERVICES
LIKE INSURANCE, QUALITY CONTROL, AND DISTRIBUTION AND PROCESSING.
FOOD HUBS OFTEN WORK UNDER THREE MODELS TO BETTER CONNECT LOCAL
FOODS PRODUCERS TO DISTRIBUTORS AND/OR CONSUMERS:
1. FARM TO BUSINESS/INSTITUTION MODEL
2. FARM TO CONSUMER MODEL
3. HYBRID MODEL
TEXT COPYRIGHT HEALTHYFOODACCESS.ORG AND NGFN.ORG