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Urban Farms
Urban Farms provides in-depth profiles of 16 innovative farms located in major metropolitan areas across the country, each operated by passionate individuals and communities committed to growing their own fruits and vegetables and raising animals. Included in these pages are some of the leaders in the movement, from Novella Carpenter’s farm in an empty lot in Oakland to Growing Power’s vast compound in Milwaukee. In addition to stories about the farms and their owners, sidebars provide basic how-to tips for such activities as composting, canning, beekeeping, and growing vegetables. A burgeoning movement that is fast catching on, urban farming taps into many touchstones of the zeitgeist, including environmental awareness, the foodie culture, localism, distrust of mass-production farming practices, and the DIY approach to life and living.
Praise for Urban Farms:
“Sarah C. Rich’s handsome, intelligent URBAN FARMS (Abrams, $30) chronicles a movement to bring kale to the people, an effort that stretches across the country, from Brooklyn to Oakland. . . . Benson’s spirited photographs capture the joy and beauty of urban farming’s bounty. No vase full of lush peonies from the grounds of an elegant estate could inspire such looks of eager joy as do the tomatoes harvested out of New York City’s Edible Schoolyard. These vegetable gardeners—and farmers—are working against such odds that there’s simply no excuse to let a comparatively lush suburban backyard lie fallow.” —New York Times Book Review
Praise for Urban Farms:
“Sarah C. Rich’s handsome, intelligent URBAN FARMS (Abrams, $30) chronicles a movement to bring kale to the people, an effort that stretches across the country, from Brooklyn to Oakland. . . . Benson’s spirited photographs capture the joy and beauty of urban farming’s bounty. No vase full of lush peonies from the grounds of an elegant estate could inspire such looks of eager joy as do the tomatoes harvested out of New York City’s Edible Schoolyard. These vegetable gardeners—and farmers—are working against such odds that there’s simply no excuse to let a comparatively lush suburban backyard lie fallow.” —New York Times Book Review
224 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
July 27, 2025
If your assuming this book will help you grow in an urban space giving you tips and new ideas i dont think this book is for you.
This book is a good book, it has many pictures of urban farms around the US. It goes into some detail about the specific urban farm as it shows you their awesome gardens. It mentions briefly little things to do in an urban garden or to garden period for example how to compost. Mentioning the very basics not so much a how to guide.
This book is a good book, it has many pictures of urban farms around the US. It goes into some detail about the specific urban farm as it shows you their awesome gardens. It mentions briefly little things to do in an urban garden or to garden period for example how to compost. Mentioning the very basics not so much a how to guide.
January 2, 2024
Insightful read. Enjoyed learning more about various urban farm initiatives in the US. Professional and quality photos taken too
May 5, 2013
A fun picture book for the wanna-be urban farmer. I love looking through the colorful, whimsical photos when my inspiration is running low.
I was really excited to see up-close-and-personal pictures of Novella Carpenter's inner-city farm, because I find her personal story fascinating--I've read her books and it's nice to put a visual to the work she chronicled so well in words. 16 farms are featured in this book in full, vivid color. The photos have creative flair, with fun closeups and interesting vantage points.
It's encouraging that many of these urban farms do not have the look of perfection. There are raised beds falling apart but still functioning, straw and compost strewn about, stacks of pots waiting to be used, hoop houses that appear functional but definitely homemade, and a delicious sense of hodge-podge on nearly every page. Now and then a random flower pokes through, basking in the sunlight, or a pig rests by his homemade pen, looking pleased. Why does this appeal to me? Well, it's enormously encouraging to see real urban farming and all it's imperfect quirks because I feel like so many of my own personal projects just, well...look terrible. I can get lost in this book for a few minutes and gain new appreciation for my 'happily cluttered' garden adventures.
These bright and colorful photos remind me that the beauty lies not in immaculate rows of vegetation, but in the efficient function, the practicality of the urban farm layout. The spaces showcased in these photos have very little wasted space, and are great examples of polycultures, loaded with biodiversity. Also, it's obvious that many of these urban farms have perfected the talent of repurposing objects for ingenious new uses.
Reading the stories of the farmers who tend these amazing enclosed food-havens is calming and inspiring. Because I dream of creating my own productive urban oasis, I feel a connection to these visionaries.
This would be a nice book to keep on the shelf to gain inspiration whenever you need it. Open to any page and feel an instant sense of peace and purpose!
I was really excited to see up-close-and-personal pictures of Novella Carpenter's inner-city farm, because I find her personal story fascinating--I've read her books and it's nice to put a visual to the work she chronicled so well in words. 16 farms are featured in this book in full, vivid color. The photos have creative flair, with fun closeups and interesting vantage points.
It's encouraging that many of these urban farms do not have the look of perfection. There are raised beds falling apart but still functioning, straw and compost strewn about, stacks of pots waiting to be used, hoop houses that appear functional but definitely homemade, and a delicious sense of hodge-podge on nearly every page. Now and then a random flower pokes through, basking in the sunlight, or a pig rests by his homemade pen, looking pleased. Why does this appeal to me? Well, it's enormously encouraging to see real urban farming and all it's imperfect quirks because I feel like so many of my own personal projects just, well...look terrible. I can get lost in this book for a few minutes and gain new appreciation for my 'happily cluttered' garden adventures.
These bright and colorful photos remind me that the beauty lies not in immaculate rows of vegetation, but in the efficient function, the practicality of the urban farm layout. The spaces showcased in these photos have very little wasted space, and are great examples of polycultures, loaded with biodiversity. Also, it's obvious that many of these urban farms have perfected the talent of repurposing objects for ingenious new uses.
Reading the stories of the farmers who tend these amazing enclosed food-havens is calming and inspiring. Because I dream of creating my own productive urban oasis, I feel a connection to these visionaries.
This would be a nice book to keep on the shelf to gain inspiration whenever you need it. Open to any page and feel an instant sense of peace and purpose!
March 10, 2016
I got this book as a gift and I instantly fell in love with it. Filled with beautiful photographs and essays of the most inspiring, influential, and historical urban farms around the United States. As a young farmer myself I was amazed to find out about some of the projects that have been developed through farming to address issues of health and wellness, education, food justice and food security, racial and social-economical issues and pollution.
Many of these farms despite limited space and resources continue to make a huge impact on their surrounding communities through education, self-sufficiency, and resilience amongst the urban chaos!
Many of these farms despite limited space and resources continue to make a huge impact on their surrounding communities through education, self-sufficiency, and resilience amongst the urban chaos!
December 19, 2012
I loved the photography in this book. Lots of bokeh and diagonally tilted shots make for exciting and dynamic photos. The stories about the community gardens are wonderfully inspiring. I feel particularly intrigued by the garden in Detroit. Gardens in the middle of a decaying city, that bring it back to life. I'd love to visit there and see it for myself.
September 19, 2012
Full of gorgeous photos and inspiring stories, this is a great sourcebook for some popular urban farms. Also, a good read-aloud book for an infant. :-)
January 20, 2013
Interesting mix of farms and stories, inspiring if you are about to start your own backyard garden.
March 27, 2015
Great photos interspersed with engaging vignettes about innovative urban farm projects across the country. A good quick read that you will return to for the photos.
May 4, 2021
Probably much more fun in physical format than digital. The pictures were tiny and half the point of reading a book about gardens is looking at the pictures.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews