The Urban Farmer by Karen Morash
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The Simple Life |
Ever since Paris and Nicole first donned their designer wellies on ‘The Simple Life’, it seems everyone wants a bit of the rural experience. Even Prince Charles is in on the act, encouraging everyone to go organic, but where does one begin?
Whilst it’s easy enough to find a natty straw hat and shiny new pitchfork on the high street, it’s not so simple for city-dwelling folks to become countrified without vast acres of land and easy access to manure. Below, you’ll find tips to help the most die-hard urbanite get a bit of dirt under their fingernails.
Grow Your Own
There are a number of good reasons for growing your own food. Just think how impressed your dinner party guests will be when you tell them that not only did you cook the feast laid before them, but you nurtured it from tender seedling to hardy plant!
You’ve also got your own body to think about. Organically-grown food is not only healthier, but it tastes better too. According to the Soil Association (www.soilassociation.org), organic food has more of the stuff we want - nutrients, vitamins, protective antioxidants, and less of the stuff we don’t want – pesticide residues, food additives and antibiotics.
Having a vegetable patch of your own means you’ll have much better control over what’s going into your body. If you’ve never propagated anything from seed before, it’s best to start out nice and easy. The Royal Horticultural Association (www.rhs.org.uk) recommends beginning with plants that are sown directly into the soil and require little thinning. Top of this list is the humble radish, which will be ready three to four weeks after sowing. Pumpkins, squash, potatoes, broad beans, lettuce, courgettes and garlic are also fairly easy to grow.
Of course, you can’t just throw the seeds into the soil, do a little dance to appease the harvest gods and hope for the best. Choose a spot in your garden that gets plenty of sunshine and is protected from the wind. Check to make sure your soil has good drainage and water your plants regularly – don’t assume that the rain will do that job for you.
Allotment Savvy
In today’s crowded cities, even a sheltered windowsill can be a precious commodity. Most councils either rent out allotment plots themselves or can offer advice on where to find one - contact your local office for details. They can also be shared with a friend, meaning you can gossip while you dig!
Fruit, veggies and flowers can be grown on allotments and there is often space for a shed to keep all your tools – handy for those who rely on public transport (or who just want to hide away from the world for a few hours). Plots range from about £15-30 per year, and many spaces have allotment associations, which sell discount tools, fertilisers and garden tools, adding to the already terrific financial savings you make by growing your own produce.
Boxing Clever
If all this is a bit much for your manicured fingers, there are other alternatives. Lazy urbanites can get their mitts on organic produce by joining up to an organic box scheme. The Soil Association publishes a list of merchants and advises that a typical box should cost between £5-15. They are generally operated by farmers or cooperatives, and deliver seasonal fresh food straight to your door. If you have certain food dislikes or allergies, they can even tailor the contents to your specific needs.
Going to Market
Of course these days, as any fashionista worth her salt will know, the trendy lot can be found down the Farmers’ Market of a Sunday rifling through ears of corn and tasting a selection of smelly cheeses. Most large towns and city boroughs hold a weekly market featuring locally-produced goods. The National Association of Farmer’s Markets provides a list of certified markets across the U.K.; check www.farmersmarkets.net for details.
Animal Instincts
To go the whole hog, so to speak, there a large number of city farms across the nation, where visitors are able to participate in the agrarian goings-on. According to Robert Donkers of Freightliners Farm, in Islington, north London, “Most urban people never get to see farm animals. A city farm brings tranquillity and gives people an opportunity to see what a ‘farm’ is like. Children learn that eggs come from a hen and not from a cardboard box.” A comprehensive list of city farms can be found on the Federation of City Farms and Community Garden’s website, www.farmgarden.org.uk.
You might feel so inspired after visiting one of these farms that you want to call yourself Mary and get yourself something white and fluffy, but think carefully. Although Robert Donkers knows, “a woman in Hackney who has a pet sheep in her garden,” it is always wise to check with your council – and your neighbours – before settling down with some livestock. After all, though chickens apparently make lovely pets, cleaning up after them isn’t so lovely.
Whatever technique you try to lose your city-slicker roots and get back to the country, remember that not only are you keeping up with the Hiltons and the Windsors of the world, but you are also doing a good turn for the local community and your own health.
