9 Urban Farms In Denver Changing How We View Food Production
Urban farms showcase the benefits of sustainable farming on a local scale: A decrease in emissions, more control over equitable access to healthy food, a boost to the local economy and, often, the promise of better tasting produce.
By Ellie Sullum
303 Magazine
July 5, 2021
Excerpt:
Huerta Urbana: Based in Globeville and Elyria-Swansea, Huerta Urbana is an incubator for the neighborhood’s urban farmers in training. As rates of food insecurity grew during the pandemic, Focus Points Family Resource Center sought to address the issue by securing local farming plots. The area lacks grocery stores within a close distance, so Focus Points made sure to secure an area in the center of the community for Huerta Urbana. Thus, families would have the opportunity to grow their own food and have easy access to gathering it. Right now, Huerta Urbana has four greenhouses and 10 raised garden beds for the 2021 season. Huerta Urbana remains a strong, community-based effort towards food justice for the neighborhood.
Denver Urban Gardens (DUG) is a network of community gardens in Denver designed to create sustainable food-producing gardens. The farm’s philosophy is rooted in empowering community members and equity. Founded in 1985, DUG now supports more than 180 community gardens across the city. DUG specializes in youth education programs, compost training and a garden to cafeteria program. The program supports the creation of school gardens for students to take care of. Once the produce is ready, the students then harvest it for cafeteria use.
