Farm-a-Lot program puts land, and people, to good work
Farm-a-Lot is a joint project with the Pittsburgh Land Bank, and was developed with the Pittsburgh Food Policy Council.
THE EDITORIAL BOARD
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Feb 10, 2024
Excerpt:
Urban agriculture may sound like an oxymoron, but in cities like Pittsburgh whose population and footprint have receded in recent decades, it only makes sense. While it’s charming to imagine every vacant lot in the city once again occupied by a home or a business, some lots and landscapes will be empty for the foreseeable future. Taking responsibility for that land by tending and cultivating it is part of taking care of our communities.
The benefits of urban agriculture range from the obvious and pragmatic to the subtle and spiritual. The communities with the most open space are also those with the greatest need for fresh foods and wholesome work: Neighborhood farms can temper the effects of food deserts, enhance food security and provide residents — especially young people — a way to apply themselves in a tangible way for the good of their communities.
The URA Farm-a-Lot program isn’t limited to growing lettuce and tomatoes, however: It also includes “rain gardens, community gardens, flower gardens, pollinator gardens and bee farms,” all of which both beautify the human environment and enhance the natural environment. They remind us that, even in the heart of the city, we are part of and responsible for an ecosystem — and our well-being depends on it.
