Aug 27, 2021
Getty Images/Westend61; image sourced from The Beet.
Editor’s Note: Cities and entrepreneurs are working together to make their urban agricultural dreams a reality and we couldn’t be happier about it. Get started on actualizing your own urban farming business with Agritecture Designer. This new tool will provide you with the best practices and guidelines to kickstarting your business and setting it up for success.
CONTENT SOURCED FROM THE BEET.
Written By: Lola Mendez
Urban farms are popping up in metropolises around the US to bring fresh produce to city dwellers. From small plots of farmland, vertical gardens climbing up the facade of buildings, to rooftops flush with plants, farmers are getting creative as they make use of minimal space in the city. Travelers can visit these farms and fit in a bit of nature during their city trips that don’t allocate time for side trips to the countryside. Stop by these urban farms in the US as you explore some of America’s greatest destinations to learn about the way produce grows, support agriculture, and taste farm-fresh dishes.
New York, New York
Farm.One sows seeds in the only indoor hydroponic farm in the largest city in the US. The indoor farm is growing specialty crops in Manhattan and welcomes guests for tours. One-hour tasting tours take place weekly. Sip on a complimentary glass of Prosecco as you are guided through rows and rows of rare plants.
Des Moines, Iowa
Dogpatch Urban Gardens is in a residential area with ¼ of an acre dedicated to the cultivation of organic vegetables for nutritious salads. Browse the rows of spinach, head lettuce, arugula, mustard greens, kale, swiss chard, and more. Join one of their farm-to-fork dinners and tour the gardens or stay overnight at the urban farm for an immersive experience.
Cleveland, Ohio
The Ohio City Farm boasts spectacular views of the Cleveland skyline and is one of the largest contiguous urban farms in the U.S. with six acres of land. The farm has caught the attention of Anglie Jolie for its many philanthropic projects such as providing produce to underserved residents and employing newly-resettled refugees. They’ve produced over 60,000 pounds of fruits, vegetables, and herbs including fennel, eggplant, tomatoes, garlic, beets, squash, and more. You can take an hour-long tour, enjoy a fresh harvest tasting, or sign up for the CSA program.
San Diego, California
Veterans own and operate the W.D. Dickinson Farm Urban Heirloom Organic Farm. It’s a small plot urban farm growing heirloom fruit, vegetables, and herbs including cauliflower, chard, endives, lemongrass, and more. Some of the seeds they use are 700-years-old and nothing is younger than WWII. Travelers can visit the on-site market and attend farm tours, classes, and dinners.
Mesa, Arizona
Mesa has so many urban farms that there’s a Fresh Foodie Trail to help visitors get to them all. Check out True Garden’s vertical aeroponic farm—the 5,000-square-foot vertical urban farm doesn’t use soil and operates with solar power. It’s the first high-tech greenhouse farm in the U.S. capable of producing cool-season food crops year-round in a desert. They grow an acre of fresh vegetables using 1/10 of the land and a fraction of the water. Visitors can enjoy the weekly farmers’ market to browse the produce, attend food-education seminars, and take a tour to learn about vertical farming.
Key Largo, Florida
Baker’s Cay Resort, Curio Collection by Hilton, has an on-site rooftop garden overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Over 70 seasonal plants are cultivated on the sunny terrace, including herbs and edible flowers such as Cuban oregano, wild strawberries, lavender, purple passionflower, aloe vera, basil, and more. The produce is used to supply fresh ingredients for the hotel’s restaurants and bars. The phenomenal house-made hot sauces are made of peppers from the food garden such as Carolina Reaper, ghost pepper, and serrano pepper. Pick your herbs when you visit the garden with the chef who will curate your meal based on what’s available from the garden.