Food Pride & The Changing Tide
Written By: Samuel Branyan
Food is changing. The world is realizing the importance of growing organic food in new, more sustainable ways. Technology, innovation, and savvy leaders are enabling people who previously suffered from food insecurity (which we define a lack of consistent access to sustainable, nutritious food) to ditch their traditional corner stores and turn to local and personal food chains. Frustrations over pesticides and food treatment are inspiring individuals to grow new diets by themselves. Healthy food is transcending “fad” status and becoming a staple in minority communities. We’re watching, and we’re here for it all.
In our first blog post, we discussed the potential of aeroponics. In this post, we want to turn our attention to the people and groups that are harnessing this potential. We’d also like to appreciate the ways that food networks, community fridges, and social organizations are building new communities through food here in Baltimore.
The Aeroponic Side
In places like Sweden, the Bahamas, Miami, and Alaska, there’s quite an odd-sounding trend emerging: Shipping Container Gardens. Thanks to the power of hydroponic technology, independent community leaders and entrepreneurs are beginning to grow enough produce to feed entire communities within shipping containers. In the growing process, enhanced LED lighting enables rapid plant growth, allowing containers to produce 4 tons in annual harvest. In this industry, the company Freight Farms – with their “The Greenery S” model – stands out as a leader in empowering entrepreneurs and families to build and strengthen communities through their new-age farms. Shipping containers hold a lot of promise for increasing food sovereignty (which we define as ownership and control over the production of nutritious and sustainable food) in all four seasons due to their controlled growing environment.
However, shipping container farms also come with their own potential difficulties. Since the containers are typically repurposed and worn-down structures, they can contain imbalances in humidity, airflow, carbon dioxide levels, and temperature that are difficult to regulate. In addition, some workers may find it especially strenuous to work repeatedly inside the confined spaces of containers. With improvements in technology, however, it seems that shipping containers will become more viable and dominant options in the aeroponic space.
Large-scale, traditional hydroponic producers have attracted national attention for more than a decade. AeroFarms, a large agricultural corporation, has been the spotlight of news specials and video clips since 2004. AeroFarms and other large-scale, aeroponic corporations like AppHarvest stand out by proving that modern advancements in aeroponics make it possible to efficiently produce nutritious food on a large scale, which preserves water, energy, and vital materials. Given the increasing scarcity of clean water around the globe, the work of these large corporations is promising (and exciting) for a sustainable future.
As much as we celebrate shipping container farms and large aeroponic corporations, we have a special appreciation for the smaller, community-run aeroponic farms that align with our mission to build communities through food. These farms are increasing in prevalence across the U.S., as hydroponic technology is becoming more accessible and feasible for historically disenfranchised communities. One hub for these smaller farms is Washington D.C., where the University of DC has launched several research sites that employ, empower, educate, and provide food for local communities.
In total, the aeroponic movements highlighted above provide a glimpse into the rising tide of new methods in food production. Our organization is so happy to increase awareness of that tide and contribute to it in our own unique way.
Baltimore Black Networks:
As impressive as the hydroponic/aeroponic movement is, it has room to improve and expand. We (and others) are beginning to imagine the ways that the new technology can align with powerful, community-centered movements, like the rising power of black and urban farming, gardening, and food networks.
At its core, urban food networks aim to increase food sovereignty by relying on the collective resources and action of the entire community. A vital part of these resources is urban gardens. Urban gardens are, in many ways, the ultimate expression of resourcefulness: small patches of grass and areas of free patio space are transformed into edible gardens, where a savvy group of growers maintain and provide the love needed to grow this reciprocal relationship.
In Baltimore, the concepts of the food network and the urban garden are embodied by several community leaders and organizations, such as: the Black Yield Institute, The Farm Alliance of Baltimore, the Cherry Hill Urban Community Garden, Strength to Love II, and the Whitelock Community Farm.
On a national level, the Black Church Food Security Network shows the power that black farmers and black urban churches can achieve when collaborating. Outside of food, we also recognize Black Woman Build Baltimore and their work; it has inspired and informed some of our organization’s own ideas.
A key component of these black and urban food networks is the community fridge, which is a free, conveniently-located, and independently run fridge and pantry where community members can take as much food as they’d like – no questions asked. Food-network coordinators may strategically establish these fridges in neighborhoods that experience food insecurity or food apartheid – which are areas without reliable access to sustainable food.
In Baltimore, an excellent example of a community fridge is the B’more Community Fridge. The B’more fridge is a project started by Clara Leverenz and Abbey Franklin, two inspiring visionaries who are passionate about connecting with others through food. Since July 2020, Leverenz, Franklin, and the rest of the B’more community fridge team have provided a beautifully-designed space and a legitimate amount of sustainable food to help combat food insecurity in their Greenmount neighborhood. You can follow their progress here.
In California, an older and more expanded network of fridges is providing these same benefits to a number of families and individuals in historically disenfranchised communities.
It is amazing to see the impact that fridges are already having in both Los Angeles and Baltimore as a key in the effective distribution of plentiful, nutritious food.
We hope this blog gives you an introduction to the movements that are starting to change the ways families and communities connect through food. We will continue to track and share on this topic, so stay tuned for more!
We will also discuss the broader topic of where our store-bought food comes from in our next blog and social media posts. To support our mission to build communities through food, click here.
With gratitude,
The Calming Leaf Foundation