Using open spaces in urban areas is an important aspect for aesthetics, food and health.

Growing up with a grandmother who kept an amazing urban garden was a great learning experience for me as a child, and influenced the way I make food choices to this day. It also was wonderful for bringing the generations of our family closer as we prepared meals together with our own ingredients.

Urban vibrancy includes celebrating together, and appreciating the various cultural heritages that we can share through food. It's so important for young people to feel they have support and ties to their own family and cultural history...

Urban farming & habilitating organic orchards in un-used urban areas is probably the fastest and most effective way to restore vibrancy in urban settings.

The reason why it's so effective is because it really is a win win win effect for everyone involved.

1. The City or town see's an instant aesthetic improvement as previously abandoned areas are re-envigorated, replacing trashed or abandoned spots with lush green beautiful spaces.

2. The experience of working the soil and producing food can be one of the most rewarding physical social activities we can perform in a community setting, especially for young children.

- Learning and following the cyclical rhythms of our planet.
- Learning about the different plants and their health benefits.
- Learning to have patience experiencing the work and seeing the rewards.
- Working together with other members of your community, making new friends.
- It can even be an opportunity for the unemployed create a very noble means of extra income.
- The list goes on and on...

Not all people have yards, but there are similar decentralized models that can help encourage people to be more independent. Windowfarms has free plans for hydroponic indoor gardens that can grow very basic food (herbs, tomatoes, some fruits) indoors, without soil, inside apartments, year round. They have free plans available online and a knowledge community to help budding windowfarmers.

http://www.windowfarms.org/

Another great urban farm currently doing great work is Growing Homes in Chicago. Their mission is to operate, promote, and demonstrate the use of organic agriculture as a vehicle for job training, employment, and community development as well as provide affordable, fresh and organic produce for people, especially in areas that are considered food deserts.

http://www.growinghomeinc.org/

Also, be sure to check out The Plant Chicago, a no-waste sustainable food production center using aquaponics and vertical farming! With the help of The Plant team and local community efforts, they were able to reconstruct the Peer Foods Building in the old meat-packing factory district of Chicago.

http://jdlightingshydro.blogspot.com/2011/10/vertical-farming-in-2011.html

Here's a video on them by Michael Silberman: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2047682198/a-sustainable-reality-redefining-roots

Check out The Urban Farming Guys are "a group 20 families that uprooted from suburbia and made their homes for good in one of the most blighted neighborhoods in the U.S. Lykins Neighborhood 64127 Inner City KCMO to invest their lives into the youth and poor."

You can watch their YouTube videos to learn more about urban farming:
http://www.youtube.com/user/TheUrbanFarmingGuys

Hi Jay, interesting post! Any chance you could find an image to go along with it? Images help grab attention and tell a story with higher impact. We know occasionally people have issues uploading images so let us know if you face any problems. You should be able to use the 'Update entry' button on the right of your post and follow the instructions to add images from there. Looking forward to seeing more of your inspiring ideas on OpenIDEO.