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EPIB Trail
Volume 12, Issue 3
My Experience: The Black Urban Growers Conference 2019 By Naajia Shakir Farming in urban communities is a very effective way in developing green infrastructure, especially the epidemic of food insecurity in these areas. Though, I managed an urban farm this past Summer and am pretty acquainted with the subject, I thought it was important learning and listening to others' experiences in urban agriculture. So, on October 26th, 2019 I traveled to The New School in New York City to attend the annual Black Urban Growers Conference. The conference is three days long and consists of multiple workshops to enlighten and teach urban farmers or interested farmers about different topics within agriculture. The individuals facilitating the workshops included chefs, farmers, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and herbalists. Like the title of the event, the conference was innovated to create a space for black urban farmers, but anyone from
any ethnic group interested in urban agriculture is always welcomed with open arms. The first workshop I attended was about USDA programs that fund and aid farms around the country. The presenter spoke about many strategies the USDA takes to help urban farms in America, some of their steps include planning, application, and implementation. The concerns the USDA has for farms involve soil erosion, water quality for the plants, and that the plants don’t receive enough moisture. To solve these issues the USDA provides many resources to farmers to ensure the health of their crops. To extend growing seasons, reduce and control pest problems, and minimize damage to plants from excessive rain and sun -- the USDA may provide high tunnels or hoophouses. They are tents that hover over beds of crops; high tunnels also need strips of grass on each side of the tent to prevent the soil from eroding. For those who
