Suzuki Diaries: Future City
Inner City Farms

Had a wonderful morning filming with Inner City Farms today. It was an exceptional day partly because this local group was started by a friend of my sister's (Camil Dumont, he went to my highschool) and so the people were familiar and fun; partly because it was very interactive (I got to choose and harvest some beautiful vegetables for myself); and partly because I saw a side of Vancouver that made me really proud: young Vancouverites initiating urban agriculture (with awesome results!). And then to top it off it was a beautiful morning, fresh and sunny and perfect for getting into the garden.

Inner City Farms was started by a group of friends who had grown up in Vancouver. They had a passion for gardening and good, healthy food. Essentially, they take neglected or empty garden spaces within the city and transform them into small 'farms', growing seasonal vegetables to sell back to the community (e.g., people can buy 'Veggie Boxes'). They don't use pesticides or fertilizers and have a small carbon footprint. So they're transforming unused space into attractive and productive land, which yields delicious, nutrient-rich food... all within the heart of Vancouver. I'd say that's a pretty cool success story.

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