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Mr. Smith breaks into urban agribusiness (and he may have to go to Washington).
#1
Mr. Smith breaks into urban agribusiness (and he may have to go to Washington).
Perhaps, in the not so distant past, a young and energetic Mr. Smith was driving through an abandoned industrial area in Urban Anywhere, USA. Being of a certain mind he couldn't help but consider how much of a waste of land and resources he was surveying. Invariably his mind wandered to the effect of this abandonment on the local community, and he couldn't dodge the notion that -somebody- ought to do -something- about it. Well why not him? But what could he do?

-Fast forward a decade. What was once an abandoned lot is now a veritable city treasure. Mr Smith has turned this sad little parcel of the Rust Belt into an urban jungle, but not the concrete type. Vibrant flowers explode in a wickerwork of velvety climbing vines forming the backdrop of a small but bustling market tent, where locals - and increasingly, the residents of gated communities clear across town wait in line to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables (and any other number of products that Mr. Smith cares to stock) for prices that range from competitive with the local superstore all the way to luxurious and exorbitant premium. Property values have risen and the folks moving in are of a decidedly different stripe than those that are moving out.

How did this come to pass? What was Mr. Smiths background, what is his business model? Just how profitable a venture is he operating and who are his customers? What legal hoops might he have launched himself through and how much capital did it take to go from his afternoon drive ten years ago to the bustling inner city farm of today? Is his model really good for the community, or for the larger national community? How might his success (or failures) translate to future start-ups....and what might be done differently? Importantly, could he have placed his wager on a *better horse* (told you there was 20% more green in this post)?

Summer and I wanted to explore how urban agriculture is established, what sorts of decisions are involved, and how it compares to other types of agribusiness. Just to keep it interesting we'll try to compare a projected urban farm with a more conventional small producer.....and also...so you bastards might clicky the thread.....certain quasi-legal gardening efforts (where we can - reliable info is limited). I'd like to think that there's a little something for everyone in a subject so broad (and I hope that we might be able to surprise some with the breadth and scope of what seems to some, at least intuitively, to be little more than sticking seeds in the ground and waiting for rain). Just how complicated a mess can this become, and how quickly? It's going to take me some time to put together quality posts for each of the steps (as I'll be outlining them) and in the interim it would tickle Summer and I pink, or green, depending, to see y'all weigh in. In truth there are no real "experts" on urban agriculture, and everyone's input is both worthy and valuable (because you, John Q, are the customer we're a'courtin). So speak up! Give us a piece of your mind.

To start with, Mr. Smith decided (for whatever reason) to start an urban farm on this abandoned lot . If you were Mr. Smith, would you have done so? If so, why? If not, why not? What is your opinion of urban farming, what are your concerns? Do you think you could establish a successful urban farm in your community? Summer, you wanna kick this off?


I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
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#2
Subject edited for length
I saw a video on this site that showed a way to use fish waste to grow plants in pea gravel. It looked like an interesting way to use space that would otherwise be unplantable. The guy was geeky and used arduino tech and his phone to control the factors of production in at least one of his systems. A great way to put his creativity to use.
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#3
RE: Mr. Smith
Yep, alot of that sort of thing was pioneered most visibly University of the Virgin Islands (they have a little issue with regards to fresh water). A domestic (US based) operation called S&S Aqua Farm took it bigtime..making a killing off basil (of all things) until the market was flooded by foreign basil following the passage of NAFTA (crashed the market to 4$ a pound)..making their model unprofitable. They switched gears to agri-tourism and consulting at that point. More recently integrated agriculture got another spot in the limelight with The Freshwater Institute that funded and operated a test site based around shut in gas well heated greenhouse production. It's my dream system (and the reason I moved to Kentucky). I've got the whole report if you're interested in that sort of thing........even includes the design specs and product codes for manufacture, operational costs...issues they ran into, projected (and actual) margins of profit...it's exhaustive...public domain ftw bitches!

(still working on gettig the next big post up..lots of math...lol)
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
Reply
#4
RE: Mr. Smith breaks into urban agribusiness (and he may have to go to Washington).
I don't understand what is going on in this thread. I'll just assume it's something to do with gardening. *nods and smiles whilst backing into the corner*
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#5
RE: Mr. Smith breaks into urban agribusiness (and he may have to go to Washington).
Summer and I thought it would be fun to write a "how-to" thread about establishing an urban farm...comparing it to conventional operations along the way. I figured we'd better bring weed into the mix or else we wouldn;t get any views (let alone replies).....you know that's why you clicky de link Tibs....

(but she's curiously absent now....sigh)
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
Reply
#6
RE: Mr. Smith
(November 13, 2012 at 4:47 pm)Rhythm Wrote: Yep, alot of that sort of thing was pioneered most visibly University of the Virgin Islands (they have a little issue with regards to fresh water). A domestic (US based) operation called S&S Aqua Farm took it bigtime..making a killing off basil (of all things) until the market was flooded by foreign basil following the passage of NAFTA (crashed the market to 4$ a pound)..making their model unprofitable. They switched gears to agri-tourism and consulting at that point. More recently integrated agriculture got another spot in the limelight with The Freshwater Institute that funded and operated a test site based around shut in gas well heated greenhouse production. It's my dream system (and the reason I moved to Kentucky). I've got the whole report if you're interested in that sort of thing........even includes the design specs and product codes for manufacture, operational costs...issues they ran into, projected (and actual) margins of profit...it's exhaustive...public domain ftw bitches!

(still working on gettig the next big post up..lots of math...lol)

Yeah man, I would be interested in trying to understand that report. Smile "shut in gas well heated" <--wat?

I am more interested in mushrooms but maybe there would be something in the report that might line up with mushie production.

I work at Intel right now and it would be hard to replace my income with some other venture; but in my mind I am a time factory, as an employee, and I only turn out one unit per hour and can't sell all the units that I produce per day. In short I am looking for some method of production that would allow me to multiplex that method to increase my income and decrease the amount of work I would have to put in. I don't know if agriculture would be technical enough to hold my interest but I suppose that would depend on the method used...
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#7
What do I need to know?
No, I don't think anything in that system lends itself well to fungus....but I got a ton of resources about that as well. Agriculture can be as technical as you want it to be (provided that translates into profits, and not toys...unless it's toys you're after). I've got some codemonkey buddies churning out a mobile app that I hope to peddle to the emerging small farmer demo and I'd say that's both technical and ag.

(I'd love to do some oyster mushroom production as a hobby...stuffs awesome, and not all that expensive to get into)
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
Reply
#8
RE: Mr. Smith breaks into urban agribusiness (and he may have to go to Washington).
I've been trying to talk my husband into letting me set up a chicken coop in our backyard... does that count?
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#9
RE: Mr. Smith breaks into urban agribusiness (and he may have to go to Washington).
What about growing Acai plants? They don't travel well at all and apparently they are yummy and good for you.
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#10
RE: Mr. Smith breaks into urban agribusiness (and he may have to go to Washington).
(November 13, 2012 at 6:15 pm)festive1 Wrote: I've been trying to talk my husband into letting me set up a chicken coop in our backyard... does that count?
Sure does. Why do you want chickens in your backyard? What kind of coop..there are some really sweet fetish-coops out there.

[Image: images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSxSCXAKZdZMTnvWCCrUe1...34PflR2HhO]

(November 13, 2012 at 6:24 pm)Rhizomorph13 Wrote: What about growing Acai plants? They don't travel well at all and apparently they are yummy and good for you.

I can snoop around. Anything that doesn't travel well has a built in advantage for a small producer - given the right marketing strategy.
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
Reply



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