In Boston, Urban Agriculture Taking Root

Emma McGrath, Communications Fellow

Urban agriculture might sound like an oxymoron, but in Boston, it’s a growing reality.

In 2013, under former Mayor Tom Menino, the Boston Redevelopment Authority and the Office of Food Initiatives made Hub history with their passage of Article 89, a zoning code that allowed for urban agriculture in the city.

Since then, urban agriculture projects have sprouted up one after another. The city now boasts over 200 community gardens and two thriving urban farms that grow fresh produce and herbs for residents, while providing opportunities for students to learn about sustainable food production. This past fall, the city broke ground on the much-anticipated Boston Public Market, a new downtown space where vendors from across New England will sell healthy, local goods year-round. The market is set to open in the summer of 2015.

Even Boston’s tech community joined the fun; in November of last year, Fathom Information Designs released a new app called “urb.ag” which, using a simple, beautiful interface, untangles the language of Article 89 for average Bostonians looking to start commercial farms in the city.

To top things off, Boston was awarded $25,000 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Local Food Promotion Program to bolster the group that oversees urban farming.

With spring underway and summer just around the corner, Bostonians have a lot to look forward to: sunny skies, good eats, and a new public market that’s sure to foster community around healthy, sustainable food (not to mention the ice- and slush-free roads).

Here’s to healthy, happy eating in Boston and beyond!