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City Farmer: Adventures in Urban Food Growing
City Farmer celebrates the new ways that urban dwellers across North America are reimagining cities as places of food production. From homeowners planting their front yards with vegetables to guerilla gardeners scattering seeds in neglected urban corners, gardening guru Lorraine Johnson chronicles the increasing popularity of innovative urban food growing.
256 pages, Paperback
First published April 30, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
May 9, 2014
City Farmer, is a broad survey of the many organizations and locations involved in promoting food production in Urban spaces. The subtitle of the book is Adventures in Urban Food Growing, but the book was trying to cover so many things that there were few adventures presented in a way that really personalized the people involved.
It almost felt like Lorraine Johnson was trying to straddle the differences between popular and scholarly non-fiction. However, despite the bibliography and selected websites at the back, and a few embedded references to other books, there was not enough hard data presented with proper source attributions to be a scholarly monograph on the resurgence of urban farming.
I felt that the book would have been strengthened by following specific people or places, other than just herself, for longer periods of time to truly personalize the story. While I am glad that I took the time to read Urban Farmer, and am planning to add much of the bibliography to Mount Readmore (my name for the untamed wilds of my TBR lists), City Farmer struggled to hold my attention.
It almost felt like Lorraine Johnson was trying to straddle the differences between popular and scholarly non-fiction. However, despite the bibliography and selected websites at the back, and a few embedded references to other books, there was not enough hard data presented with proper source attributions to be a scholarly monograph on the resurgence of urban farming.
I felt that the book would have been strengthened by following specific people or places, other than just herself, for longer periods of time to truly personalize the story. While I am glad that I took the time to read Urban Farmer, and am planning to add much of the bibliography to Mount Readmore (my name for the untamed wilds of my TBR lists), City Farmer struggled to hold my attention.
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September 6, 2012I'm not going to give this a star rating because I haven't read it fully. I checked it out from the library and simply read a couple pieces and skimmed some others. I think the author's voice is very approachable. The book's focus is: local, utilizing space effectively (vertical, roofs, balconies, front yards, etc), guerrilla gardening, community lots, changing how we view food, reconnecting.
Though it's certainly nothing "new", I wanted to remind myself of this method as I prep my yard this autumn - sheet mulching for turning lawn into a veggie garden without digging:
"- Mow the existing grass using the lowest setting on your lawn mower. No need to rake up the clippings; just leave them where they land.
- Cover the area with a layer of cardboard or newspapers (if using newspapers, add a layer of approximately ten sheets thick; if using cardboard, a single layer is fine, though be sure to remove any staples and packaging tape).
- Spread a 3 inch layer of soil and / or soil mixed with compost and / or well-rotted manure on top of the cardboard or newspapers.
- Top it all off with a 3 inch layer of chopped, dead leaves.
- Don't worry if, in spring, all of the cardboard and/or newspapers haven't completely decomposed; just dig planting holes through any cardboard or newspaper that remains."
Though it's certainly nothing "new", I wanted to remind myself of this method as I prep my yard this autumn - sheet mulching for turning lawn into a veggie garden without digging:
"- Mow the existing grass using the lowest setting on your lawn mower. No need to rake up the clippings; just leave them where they land.
- Cover the area with a layer of cardboard or newspapers (if using newspapers, add a layer of approximately ten sheets thick; if using cardboard, a single layer is fine, though be sure to remove any staples and packaging tape).
- Spread a 3 inch layer of soil and / or soil mixed with compost and / or well-rotted manure on top of the cardboard or newspapers.
- Top it all off with a 3 inch layer of chopped, dead leaves.
- Don't worry if, in spring, all of the cardboard and/or newspapers haven't completely decomposed; just dig planting holes through any cardboard or newspaper that remains."
January 30, 2013
An excellent reminder that you can't rely on the wisdom of the [goodreads] masses. I hesitated grabbing this book twice from the library because of lukewarm reviews. It turned out to be delightful. The variety of urban gardening, farming and foraging covered got me thinking outside the traditional garden box. An added bonus is the healthy amount of resources, recommended readings and websites for further info. Quick, enjoyable and informative read.
Favorite passage:
"What exactly is vacant land empty of? We could say buildings, but that isn't quite right because parks and waterfronts and a whole host of other urban places may be without buildings and still never be characterized as vacant. No, what's missing is care, intention, and attention. Vacant land violates our notions of purpose and plan, and the therm itself is a kind of shorthand that carries our offended sensibilities, our response to neglect. But if we repeat and remember – vacant land is... 'land' – the lens through which we peer at it can change, and the view with it."
Favorite passage:
"What exactly is vacant land empty of? We could say buildings, but that isn't quite right because parks and waterfronts and a whole host of other urban places may be without buildings and still never be characterized as vacant. No, what's missing is care, intention, and attention. Vacant land violates our notions of purpose and plan, and the therm itself is a kind of shorthand that carries our offended sensibilities, our response to neglect. But if we repeat and remember – vacant land is... 'land' – the lens through which we peer at it can change, and the view with it."
February 20, 2015
Gardening is at the soul of who people are. This is important to realize. It is calming, restful, strengthening, and just plain fun. This book allows one to dream of growing their own fresh food regardless of how much land is available. Even a roof-top will suffice. Some of what the author has to say did not resonate with me but there are many good ideas in this book about why, when, what and where to garden.
May 3, 2021
This is a great resource for someone living in Canada, or other large cities in the US though it’s harder to resonate for someone like me living in a suburban Midwest location. It’s still a fun read, with the chapters about guerrilla gardening and chickens being my favorite.
Below are just some resources from the book that I want to keep for later.
Starting a community garden:
-gauge interest (ask around, make flyers, have a meeting)
-identify locations (anywhere from churches, community center, or a local park!)
-decide on a working model (how will this garden work? How will the group work?)
-Establish a clear plan of action (Delegate anticipate questions and prepare answers)
-find allies in your community (in the parks department, municipal government —your councillor— or community organizations that can help
-research what resources you can get for free, including soil or compost from the city, tool donations from local gardening businesses, and grants from social service organizations
Edible flowers: marigolds, nasturtiums, borage, bachelor’s buttons, day lilies, hyssop, lemon verbena, violets
Check out BackyardChickens.com for chicken resources
*There is over 14 million hectares of lawn grass in the US and it requires more maintenance than all the cornfields of Iowa!
Converting a lawn to a veggie bed:
-mow the existing grass using the lowest setting on the mower; no need to collect the clippings
-cover the area with a layer of cardboard or ten-sheet layers of newspaper
-spread 3 inch layer of soil and/or soil/compost mix
-top it off with 3 inch layer of chopped dead leaves
-just dig planting holes thru holes of any cardboard that remains come next spring
Below are just some resources from the book that I want to keep for later.
Starting a community garden:
-gauge interest (ask around, make flyers, have a meeting)
-identify locations (anywhere from churches, community center, or a local park!)
-decide on a working model (how will this garden work? How will the group work?)
-Establish a clear plan of action (Delegate anticipate questions and prepare answers)
-find allies in your community (in the parks department, municipal government —your councillor— or community organizations that can help
-research what resources you can get for free, including soil or compost from the city, tool donations from local gardening businesses, and grants from social service organizations
Edible flowers: marigolds, nasturtiums, borage, bachelor’s buttons, day lilies, hyssop, lemon verbena, violets
Check out BackyardChickens.com for chicken resources
*There is over 14 million hectares of lawn grass in the US and it requires more maintenance than all the cornfields of Iowa!
Converting a lawn to a veggie bed:
-mow the existing grass using the lowest setting on the mower; no need to collect the clippings
-cover the area with a layer of cardboard or ten-sheet layers of newspaper
-spread 3 inch layer of soil and/or soil/compost mix
-top it off with 3 inch layer of chopped dead leaves
-just dig planting holes thru holes of any cardboard that remains come next spring
March 24, 2023
3.5 stars
Not really what I was expecting - more of a series of interesting stories about people growing their own food in cities than any kind of how-to guide. Still, it was a pretty interesting read for the most part. I especially enjoyed reading about the urban farms springing up on vacant lots in Detroit.
Not really what I was expecting - more of a series of interesting stories about people growing their own food in cities than any kind of how-to guide. Still, it was a pretty interesting read for the most part. I especially enjoyed reading about the urban farms springing up on vacant lots in Detroit.
May 10, 2017
This book made me want to get out in my garden and start digging. Also made me want to rip out all of my lawn and put in something useful. In my old age, I've really started to like making things grow and reading about it thrills me.
July 31, 2025
Ok read but not what i thought it was going to be. More of a history lesson with mini tips then a how to guide or more tips for city farm life.
February 25, 2017
I wasn't sure what to expect when I opened City Farmer, but it was a satisfying read. I grew up in a family with immigrant grandparents, where vegetable gardening was the norm. Not that I was very keen on it. When I moved to the city, into a small room with no yard, I started to appreciate and miss what I no longer had access to.
City Farmer was honestly pretty inspiring to read. It was a good mix of narrative, how-to, and examples of what urban farming looks like in North America. It was a bonus for me that the author is from Toronto and discusses it so often, since that's where I'm currently living as well.
This is a good introductory book. I think if I was a bit more knowledgeable I would have skimmed it more, but at my current knowledge level, it did a great job introducing me to all the options out there for urban farming. Now I need to do some research and plan what I'm going to try growing this year.
City Farmer was honestly pretty inspiring to read. It was a good mix of narrative, how-to, and examples of what urban farming looks like in North America. It was a bonus for me that the author is from Toronto and discusses it so often, since that's where I'm currently living as well.
This is a good introductory book. I think if I was a bit more knowledgeable I would have skimmed it more, but at my current knowledge level, it did a great job introducing me to all the options out there for urban farming. Now I need to do some research and plan what I'm going to try growing this year.
November 14, 2011
I was not overly impressed with this book. I've read some similar things and I expected it to be more of a personal story. The author covers a lot of aspects of city farming and how it can be done in almost any setting on any scale. She does include personal stories, but it was more of a collection of facts and statistics. Also, it was mostly about Canada which didn't really apply to me as a reader in the US. It was just a harder read because it wasn't a story and was bogged down with so many figures and statistics.
December 13, 2016
I couldn't finish this one. Early on in the book, she says "A guilty conscience is a great motivator". I tried jumping ahead, and just found more negativity and political lectures.
I'm not sure why anyone would want to or need to be motivated by guilt to do something as wonderful and rewarding as gardening. I was hoping to learn something and see someone else's vision of gardening while my outside world is all covered in snow, but this was not that book.
I'm not sure why anyone would want to or need to be motivated by guilt to do something as wonderful and rewarding as gardening. I was hoping to learn something and see someone else's vision of gardening while my outside world is all covered in snow, but this was not that book.
November 17, 2011
I took this one a little slower than the rest just to grasp and absorb the information within this book. the stories contained within and well as the information make this an all around great book. Not just for gardening but to build community gardens, learn about composting and more. If gardening interests you and you want to learn more then be sure to give this book a read.
June 3, 2012
I thought this was a fantastic read. Johnson clearly has done her homework, citing various North American (not just Canadian) examples of urban agriculture at its finest. The appendix alone is worth a read through. I highly recommend this to anyone interested in growing their own food, even if it's just a couple of tomato plants on your balcony.
February 27, 2014
I expected this book to be more of a memoir and a personal testament to urban gardening from the author's experience. She included this here and there, but it read mostly as a handy book with all sorts of information on the history and current state of urban farming. I enjoyed it and the knowledge I've gained from reading, but I wish it had been a bit more personable.
June 21, 2013
I thought this book would include a lot more of the "how to" of city farming, but it's more of an argument for urban food growing. All of the studies and statistics get pretty monotonous, although there are some good personal stories to help get you through. Perhaps it just wasn't what I was expecting.
August 4, 2014
I'd have to say this book is very inspirational! It's taught me a lot and inspired me to become a little city farmer myself! Loads of tips, tricks and beautiful advice about how to improve communal gardens or start with your own backyard. Also with additional references to help you on what to look into in your own state/city limits. So pick it up!
August 26, 2011
Lots of good stuff and more. The book is probably twice as long as it needs to be to hold the author's self-indulgent ramblings, but there really is some good guidance on encouraging and developing urban farming. A useful reference.
July 28, 2011
I really didn't read the whole thing-just skimmed it. It's not what I was expecting. It's great for someone starting off in the whole self-sustainable journey and trying to figure out the whys of it. I'm a bit beyond that point, so a memoir type farming book is not really my speed.
July 29, 2011
It was a bit different from what I expected from the book, but it was interesting. The author lives in Canada and probably half of the info there was about the way things in Canada, but I liked it enough to read through. I may plant Kale in my front yard this fall....
September 14, 2011
I likes thid book, but it was academic and not easy to read. I was "on fire" about urban farming, and this book took the fire right out of me with it's long explanations and ceaseless quoting of statistics.
March 23, 2012
These book had some neat, inspring ideas and some interesting statistics, but overall nothing new to me, really. The best part was the project ideas at the end and the links to all the community gardens and urban farms!
June 30, 2012
A wonderful read on the possibilities and potential of farming in the city! It provide an inspiration to follow her journey through different types of gardening and the chickens she raised in her yard.
Want to Read
June 26, 2010http://www.dmpibooks.com/book/city-fa...
Canadian, not yet published in U.S.
Canadian, not yet published in U.S.
February 11, 2011
Some good tips on being a "city farmer", and encouraging neighbours to farm with you.
February 1, 2011
so bloody fantastic.
maybe a little heavy on the American examples sometimes but perhaps this couldn't be helped.
maybe a little heavy on the American examples sometimes but perhaps this couldn't be helped.
April 28, 2011
Easy to read, with helpful tips. Would recommend for beginning urban gardener.
May 4, 2011
B Some interesting stuff, but I wish there was more practical growing advice. Still, great for the urban gardener activist!
June 8, 2011
Manque d'exemples pratiques pour les néophytes dans mon genre, mais bien motivant! une belle bouffée d'optimisme!
August 13, 2011
This is a great guide to urban agriculture! Lots of practical resources mixed with some history as well as how and why growing food in cities can improve our lives.
June 30, 2011
couldn't even finish it, very dry.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews