“ Will Allen is a big human . And he has a large footmark , ” state Jim Embry , loss leader of the Sustainable Communities internet in Lexington , Ky. , as he introduced founder and chief operating officer of Growing Power Will Allen , who spoke to a standing - room - only crowd at the downtown Lexington public library recently .
Even more substantial than Will Allen ’s sizing – the 6′ 7″ former basketball player has a dominating bearing – is the encroachment he ’s have as he cultivates urban garden in communities around the globe .
Allen does n’t need strong-arm size to ride home his subject matter of meliorate nutrition throughurban farming – for him , it ’s all about stirring and love .
And for about 90 moment , Allen barrack with a no - gimcrackery approach to his missionary station .
“ We do n’t have a hungriness problem in the world , ” he said . “ We have anutrition problem . We want to do something about it … you bozo have some work to do ! ”
Allen ’s workplace is headquarter at his 2.5 - Akka Community Food Center Urban Farm , situate in of one Milwaukee ’s obtusely populated , workings - class , retail - centric neighbourhood . There he and his squad raise solid food for their neighbour , shopper and restaurants and teach others how to do the same – and much more .
According to the Growing Power web site : “ In a space no larger than a small supermarket survive some 20,000 plants and vegetables , 1000 of fish , and a livestock stocktaking of chicken , caprine animal , ducks , rabbits and bees . ”
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picture by Growing Power
Showing off a healthy pile of compost catch quick to produce healthy food for thought .
The organization has several other farm locations in majuscule Milwaukee , as well as farm in Chicago ; it ’s in the process of limit up national training centers in Arkansas , Massachusetts and Mississippi .
What Do You Need to Get an Urban Farm Started?Allen surprised many when he announced the most important thing you necessitate to start a successful urban farm : family relationship .
“ multitude are n’t just going to go out of their family and say , ‘ Yes , let ’s grow some food , ' ” he said . “ It ’s about school neighbors , enlarging their minds and engage the biotic community . ”
It ’s the province of the urban farm organizers to develop relationships with nearby school , youthfulness , house and businesses – essentially any soul or organization in the area that could avail affirm the finish of the urban farm .
“ They all need to evaluate what you ’re doing as much as you do , ” he state .
He says not to interest about the scope of your labor . Start small and think bountiful as things get going . Developing an urban agriculture acquirement bent is not an insignificant attainment .
The Second Most Important ThingSurely the plants and seeded player are the next most authoritative affair to starting an urban farm .
But according to Allen , it ’s in reality : compost .
LOTS of compost .
“ You need to grow new grunge because the land that ’s there ( in cities ) is contaminated , ” he said .
Allen render the gang picture of tremendous piles of composting textile that are being turn into soil over prison term – most mint about the size of a compact automobile and some as turgid as a house .
Much of the business organization of the farm he run involves Olympian - sized travail to raise soil through compost on the urban farm in Milwaukee and a 30 - acre rural farm in Merton , Wis.
The secret ingredients in Allen ’s compost : chocolate ground , wood chips , leftover produce from supermarkets and brewery barren ( from Milwaukee ’s nearby brewery ) .
Because the quantities of materials needed to grow soil are so declamatory , collecting enough compost materials to feed the soil can be difficult – it ’s important again to modernize relationships with area business concern that can provide these vital stuff .
Another key component : vermicompost . Vermicomposting is so of the essence that Allen refers to their louse as “ livestock . ” Growing Power harvests and cares for worms the way a volaille granger cares for his prized , egg - laying flock .
The worm ’ job is to get healthy soil for the plants . Vermicomposting ( intensive composting in boxes with worms ) allows Growing Power to add together a nutritious - rich , organic fertilizer and grease conditioner to its Modern soil . The vermicompost is so valuable that they also sell it at the Growing Power store and at farmers ’ markets .
“ To fundamentally change the food system , we require 50 million the great unwashed grow food in this state alone , in their backyard , side M , wherever . Will that happen overnight ? I do n’t intend so . Will it happen in my lifetime ? I do n’t intend so . But it will happen because now it ’s a drive , ” Allen said .
“ All we have to do is open our minds . We can grow intellectual nourishment almost anywhere . All we have to do is resolve we ’re going to do it . ”
