Gardens and Herbs in Urban Space

Today we went to Suntec Convention Centre hall 406 to look at the Farmer's Sprout Market, and boy, was it crowded! Didn't expect so many people to be there! Seems like the farming community is gaining some traction in Singapore and that's good!  I interviewed some people and got to know more about their organisations. They're really cool people with really cool, good and green ideas which are sustainable for Singapore.  One interesting organisation was VertiVeggies, a hydroponic vertical gardening company. They are looking to grow veggies using hydroponics and then sell it to the market. Their veggie prices are not that much different than Malaysian veggies due to the little transportation costs. Did you know that hydroponics uses less water than normal farming? Also, they are working with a few partners, for example Apex Harmony lodge, a nursing home with elderly with dementia to involve them in plant propogation. They also include people with disabilities and spec...

Today I visited Citizen Farm again and volunteered there! We (5 vounteers) removed some mould, topped up compost and sprayed them with anti-fungi solution. It was a meaningful 2 hours there.  Some new plants that I saw were Lemon Balm, Red Vein Sorrel, Okinawa Spinach, Marigolds, and Spearmint. It was also interesting to know that the suscriptors support local farmers and champion local food.   Basil  Marigolds  Okinawa Spinach  Lavender  Rooster  Basil Stacked towers All in all, it was a good 2 hours! 

Today I visited Edible Garden City's Citizen Farm at Jalan Penjara, Queenstown with Evergreen students. It was truly an eye-opening experience.  Firstly, we were introduced to Edible Garden City and its mission, lecture style. Then we proceeded to have a tour around the place, to see what we could bring back to the Evergreen garden.  Citizen Farm I was impressed by the model in which Citizen Farm runs by.  The world faces food supply challenges and social challenges (disabilities, ageing, disruptive technologies that displace millions of jobs). Thus it is crucial that organisations such as this try to bridge the gap and form a platform for food sustainability and social welfare. The Penjara model disrupts the food system by lessening carbon footprint by lessening the travelling miles, cutting the middle man to make food more affordable and fresher, and basing their values on transparency. It consists of a community of farmers with the same values, employs ma...