Urban farms are growing like weeds! They are popping up literally everywhere from rooftops, to walls and old parking lots. Urbanites, is seems, are no longer just thinking about summer gardens, but in many cases are implementing year-round harvesting. Growing food in our cities helps us take on the responsibility of providing local produce to feed ourselves.
Taking back this responsibility does not come without its challenges. Many full-time or seasonal trailer chicks face the same obstacles that many urban dwellers face – space and mobility.
We can take a page out of the playbook of many creative urban dwellers who have managed to stay connected to the land – even if they had to bring it to them.
The idea of a people’s garden is not new. The Dutch and other European countries have been creating mobile gardens for years.
However, Mobilegarden.org in Chicago seems to be taking the concept one step further. They have suggested creating a mobile garden on a flatcar train that would travel behind the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA). If it catches on, we may only need to wait at a signal to catch a fresh head of cabbage and a few rutabagas from a newly designed caboose.
Crazy as this may seem, this idea demonstrates that a mobile garden is becoming more realistic.
Since this might be a new concept for your park, you may want to start laying the groundwork now so you can yield a crop as early as next year.
Ask your park manager to delegate one space to be used as a community garden. One of the great advantages to a mobile garden is that there is no need to rip up the slab. Since each space is equipped with a water hookup, no “water boy” is needed (unless he’s young and very cute!).
Since many RV parks are located in or close to natural habitats, animal deterrence is important to consider. The height of the garden, if built on an old trailer bed with reinforced wire or mesh sides, is often enough to stop most deer, rabbits, and other wildlife.
Many great community garden organizations, such as the ACGA (American Community Garden Association), have great tips on how to develop a community garden, and many of these groups may even be willing to help you set it up.
Community gardens not only feed the mind, but also feed the soul and bring people together. Just imagine breaking camp in the fall after you and your fellow camper have harvested the bounty of the summer.
Now is a great time to contact your favorite campsite and start working on getting organized for a spring planting – and if they say ‘yes’, let’s try for chickens next!
