City Gardens Outperform Rural Farms

Environmental historian Kate Brown's work, "A History Of Urban Resilience," reveals how city dwellers have historically excelled at growing fruits and vegetables in limited urban spaces. This ingenuity often met with official disapproval, as town planners favored manicured landscapes over productive gardens. In 19th-century Paris, a surplus of horse manure was key, enabling gardeners to create mini-greenhouses that fostered abundant growth. Similarly, after the American Civil War, Black migrants in Washington D.C. transformed neglected neighborhoods into productive plots.

These urban farmers utilized every available space, growing food for their families and selling the excess. Ironically, the lack of sanitation infrastructure in some areas, with 'night soil' being composted and sold to gardeners, contributed to their success. This practice, though viewed negatively by officials, supported vibrant food cultivation. The article highlights how small-scale urban farming enhances biodiversity by planting diverse crops, attracting pollinators and pest control naturally.

These urban oases increasingly offer refuge for wildlife escaping polluted rural agricultural zones. The book makes a compelling argument for encouraging more urban gardening, a stance supported by recent warnings about potential food shortages due to global ecosystem collapse. This resurgence of interest echoes historical "dig for victory" campaigns, suggesting a renewed importance for city dwellers to grow their own produce.