Research & reports

Jennifer Marie Vazquez · · United States

In 2010, the ISU Student Organic Farm (SOF) completed its fifth season at the ISU Horticulture Research Station and began selling Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) shares for the first time. This initiative aimed to address the challenges of voluntarily managing an acre of organic vegetables. The effort led to increased participant involvement, greater food production and distribution, and improvements in infrastructure and soil fertility, including the purchase and installation of drip irrigation and the planting of a winter cover crop.

Ricardo Vásquez Ochoa, Emilio José García Bidegorry · · Mexico

The "Eutropia" project, which won second prize in the Holcim America 2008 Next Generation category, proposes sustainable housing for 36 families in the Los Reyes neighborhood, Mexico. It addresses precarious living conditions by compressing housing areas to create public spaces and integrating sustainable infrastructure. The design includes a block with a green roof for food production and recycling, a clearing house, and a street market for trading self-produced food.

Julian S. Yates, Jutta Gutberlet · Environment and Planning A Economy and Space · Brazil (Diadema)

This paper analyzes food waste flows in Diadema, Brazil, through an urban political ecology lens, focusing on integrated organic waste management for composting and urban food production. While presented as a means for positive socioecological change, the process is characterized by conflict and potential exploitation. Broader structural conditions also constrain the system's ability to offer an alternative to existing waste-management models.

Bruna Lara Alvarenga Barros, Jackeline Canuto Mendes, Vinicius Moreno Nolasco, Marivaldo Aparecido de Carvalho, Rosana Passos Cambraia · Cadernos de Agroecologia · Brazil

A project in Diamantina, Minas Gerais, Brazil paired students from the Universidade Federal dos Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri with youth and educators at AJIR, a philanthropic institution housing ten at-risk young men. Activities centered on cultivating vegetables, fruit trees and medicinal plants and raising small animals as part of residents' diet, guided by an ecological diagnostic of the local environment-agriculture relationship. The work aimed to valorize popular and endogenous knowledge alongside scientific knowledge and to build agroecological learning practices.

Saad El‐Din Hassan, Eva Boon, Marc St‐Arnaud, Mohamed Hijri · Molecular Ecology · Canada

A study assessing indigenous arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) community structure in roots and soil of Plantago major (plantain) growing on trace-metal (TM)-contaminated versus uncontaminated sites, selected based on a survey of TM concentrations (As, Cd, Cu, Pb, Sn, Zn) in community garden soils in Montreal, Canada. AMF community structure was analyzed using PCR-DGGE, cloning and sequencing, and direct sequencing. Native AMF diversity, measured by the number of AMF ribotypes, was decreased in TM-polluted soils and plant roots compared with unpolluted sites, and community structure was altered by TM contamination. Various Glomus species along with Scutellospora aurigloba and S. calospora were the most abundant ribotypes in unpolluted soil, while G. etunicatum, G. irregulare/G. intraradices and G. viscosum occurred in both polluted and unpolluted soils, and G. mosseae together with unidentified Glomus ribotypes (B9, B13) dominated in TM-polluted sites. The predominance of G. mosseae at metal-polluted sites is interpreted as suggesting tolerance to TM stress and potential use for phytoremediation.

McClintock N. · Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society 3(2):191-207 · United States

Theorizes urban agriculture through the metabolic rift framework, arguing it addresses ecological, social and individual rifts by rescaling production, reclaiming vacant land, and de-alienating urban dwellers from their food.

Kent D. Kobayashi, Theodore Radovich, Brooke E. Moreno · HortTechnology · United States (Hawaii)

The Department of Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa developed and modified curricula to educate students on environmental sustainability. New programs like Organic Food Crop Production and Sustainable and Organic Farm Training were introduced, and existing courses were updated. These curricula aimed to engage students and promote self-learning through theory, practicum, farm visits, and activities, covering topics such as urban agriculture and organic food production from a tropical perspective.

Sarah Rabkin · · United States

Amy Courtney, founder of Freewheelin’ Farm, a community supported agriculture (CSA) program, delivers shares by bicycle-drawn trailer. Courtney, a 1997 graduate of UCSC’s Apprenticeship in Ecological Horticulture, started the farm in 2002 with minimal motorized vehicles, utilizing used equipment and recycled materials. She and her partners continue to haul all CSA shares six miles into Santa Cruz by bicycle. Courtney's work is driven by a commitment to social justice, community health, and cultural vitality. The farm collaborates with "Food, What?!"—a youth empowerment program, and hosts cultural and educational initiatives.

Sarah Rabkin · eScholarship (California Digital Library) · United States (California)

This is a biographical account of horticulturalist Beth Benjamin, based on an interview conducted on June 30, 2009. Benjamin joined Alan Chadwick's garden at UC Santa Cruz in 1967 and later co-founded Camp Joy Gardens in Santa Cruz County in the early 1970s. By 2009, Camp Joy Gardens was a thriving non-profit educational organization offering apprenticeships, educational programs, and a community supported agriculture program.

Sarah Rabkin · · United States (California)

Juan Pablo Perez founded J&P Organics, a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program in California, in 2006, which now serves approximately 300 subscribers. The enterprise offers flexible subscription options, including home delivery and varied order frequencies, and sells produce to restaurants and farmers' markets. Perez's success is attributed to his entrepreneurial skills and mentorship from the Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association (ALBA).

Sarah Rabkin · eScholarship (California Digital Library) · United States (California)

This article profiles Andy Griffin, who operates Mariquita Farm on twenty-five acres in Watsonville and Hollister, California. Griffin, with roots in California's 1970s organic-farming renaissance, offers insights gleaned from extensive experience in the farming and marketing of organic produce. He was interviewed by Sarah Rabkin on November 6th and December 16th, 2008, sharing trenchant insights into the evolving economics of organic production, distribution, and marketing on both small and large scales.

Emma Schroeder, Daniel J. Arp · · United States

In a 2010 interview with Emma Schroeder, Dan Arp recounted his experiences living in Eagle Heights as a graduate student in the late 1970s. Arp shared his recollections of participating in the gardens with fellow Eagle Heights residents, discussing the variety of plants and vegetables grown, organic gardening practices, weeds, pesticides, and irrigation. This interview was conducted for inclusion in a Master's thesis focusing on the Eagle Heights Community Gardens.

Emma Schroeder, Patricia A. Palmieri, Tom Palmieri · · United States

In a 2010 interview, Tom and Pat Palmieri shared their memories of the Eagle Heights Community Garden. They discussed organic gardening practices, the seasonal vegetables they cultivated, and challenges such as weeds. The Palmieris also expressed their continued interest in gardening after their time at Eagle Heights.

Sarah Rabkin · eScholarship (California Digital Library) · United States (California)

This interview, conducted by Sarah Rabkin at Jim Nelson's home at Camp Joy Gardens in Boulder Creek, California, on August 20 and October 23, 2008, features Nelson discussing the founding and early days of the UCSC Garden, his experiences with Alan Chadwick, the creation and evolution of Camp Joy, and his philosophy as a farmer-educator. Camp Joy Gardens is a 4.5-acre farm in Santa Cruz County that organically cultivates crops using biodynamic principles and supplies produce to twenty-five local families through a community-supported agriculture program.

Emma Schroeder, Eric Olmanson · · United States

In this 2010 oral history interview conducted by Emma Schroeder for a master's thesis on the Eagle Heights Community Gardens, former UW–Madison graduate student Eric Olmanson recalls his experience at the Eagle Heights Community Garden. He discusses organic farming, plants that behaved like invasive weeds, permanent versus rented plots, and the garden's international community.

Rebecca T. Barnes, Peter A. Raymond · Ecological Applications · United States

This study examined nitrate export from small, closely spaced headwater watersheds in the United States representing urban, agricultural, and forested land uses, using the dual isotopic composition of stream nitrate (δ15N-NO3− and δ18O-NO3−) together with a numerical model to control for variation in geology, surficial materials, and climate. The isotopic values varied significantly among the three land-use types, with δ15N-NO3− reflecting nitrogen source and δ18O-NO3− reflecting biogeochemical processing; the highest nitrate concentrations coincided with the highest stream δ15N-NO3− values because of enriched anthropogenic sources — septic systems in urban watersheds and manure in agricultural watersheds — and average net removal of the available nitrate pool across urban and agricultural catchments was estimated at 45%, with the degree of removal varying by drainage area and organic carbon availability.

Bruno Martins Dala Paula, Ivana Cristina Lovo, José Delázaro Filho · Urban Agriculture Magazine · Brazil (Belo Horizonte)

This project in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, involved seven households sharing a community garden. Participating families collected household organic waste, with five families collecting 5 kg every 8-10 days. From March 25 to September 25, a total of 420 kg of organic waste was collected and used for collective compost production, which was then distributed to all garden members.

Emma Schroeder, Julie Schneider · · United States (Eagle Heights)

Julie Schneider's 2009 interview discusses her five years at the Eagle Heights Community Garden. She described vegetables grown, organic gardening, rules and restrictions, and tensions with the university, as well as changes in the community gardens since the early 1990s. This interview was conducted for a Master's thesis on the Eagle Heights Community Gardens.

· Wikipedia · United States

This Wikipedia article covers San Francisco's Mandatory Recycling and Composting Ordinance (No. 100-09), passed by the Board of Supervisors in 2009 and described as the first US municipal ordinance to universally require source separation of all organic material. By August 2010 the city reached a 77% waste diversion rate, and composting increased 45% after the ordinance took effect. An earlier 1999 pilot, the 'Fantastic Three' programme, achieved over 90% diversion among participants within seven months. The ordinance polled at 85% support before passing; maximum fines are $100 for single-family homes and $1,000 for large businesses.

Jason P. Kaye, Anandamayee Majumdar, Corinna Gries, Alexander Buyantuyev, Nancy B. Grimm, D. Hope, G. Darrel Jenerette, Weixing Zhu, Lawrence A. Baker · Ecological Applications · United States (Phoenix)

A study in a 7962-km2 area around Phoenix, Arizona, USA, used a hierarchical Bayesian model to predict soil organic carbon (oC), inorganic carbon (iC), total nitrogen (N), and available phosphorus (avP) storage. Both Bayesian and traditional approaches indicated that oC, N, and avP were higher in mesic residential and agricultural areas than in deserts or xeric residential areas. Cultural variables like impervious surface cover, tree cover, and turfgrass cover were significant predictors, and an estimated 1140 Gg of oC and 130 Gg of N had accumulated in human-dominated soils.

Ma. Neftalí Rojas-Valencia, Ma. Teresa Orta de Velásquez, Víctor Franco · Linnaeus Eco-Tech · Mexico (Mexico City)

This study investigated the efficiency of applying organoponic techniques to urban crops in Mexico City, utilizing organic compounds, recyclable solid waste, homemade organic fertilizers, and treated wastewater. Three wastewater disinfection methods were tested: Ozone, APT, and a combination. Results showed that Ozone not only disinfected wastewater but also contributed oxygen and nutrients to the soil, reducing the need for chemical fertilizers. Ozone also reduced infection risk by eliminating pathogenic microorganisms and increased plant growth.

Shane R. de Solla, Pamela A. Martin · Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry · United States

Because many reptiles oviposit in soil within agricultural landscapes, this study evaluated the toxicity of two commonly used nitrogenous fertilizers — urea and ammonium nitrate — to snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina) egg survivorship. Eggs were incubated, unmanipulated and under ambient conditions, in a community garden plot treated with urea at realistic rates up to 200 kg/ha in 2004 and ammonium nitrate up to 2,000 kg/ha in 2005, and separately in covered laboratory bins designed to minimize nitrogen loss through volatilization or leaching. In the field, neither urea nor ammonium nitrate affected hatching success or development, despite ammonium nitrate showing overt toxicity to native plants. In the laboratory, however, both fertilizer exposures reduced hatching success, lowered body mass at hatching, and reduced post-hatching survival compared with controls. The authors attribute the field's lack of toxicity to leaching and atmospheric loss of nitrogen in soil, and conclude that nitrogenous fertilizers likely have little direct impact on turtle eggs deposited in agricultural landscapes.

John A. Biernbaum · Crop Management · United States

This presentation was part of a USDA conference session exploring the expansion of education infrastructure in organic agriculture. The student-oriented presentation described target student audiences, outlined example curricular content for organic farming, identified K-12 education programs benefiting from organic farming content, listed sources of organic farming information, and detailed university student farming programs, specifically the Michigan State University Student Organic Farm (MSU-SOF) CSA program.

Edilene Lagedo Teixeira, Janailton Coutinho, Adriano Costa da Silva, Andréa Soares, Camila Silva de Oliveira, Carla Gomes dos Santos, Beatriz Ribeiro Guimarães · REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE AGROECOLOGIA · Brazil

This study, conducted in 2003 by UNISOL REGIONAL and UFRRJ, aimed to develop an organic, condiment, and medicinal garden through social education activities. A socioeconomic survey of the community revealed urgent problems with water scarcity, mosquitoes, and rodents. While two garden beds and 12 planters were built to encourage self-sustaining urban agriculture, the abstract does not explicitly state the success or failure of achieving self-sustainability or addressing the identified community problems beyond the construction itself.

Mathieu Ngouajio, Kathleen Delate, Edward E. Carey, Anita N. Azarenko, James J. Ferguson, William Sciarappa · HortTechnology · United States

A US report on the growth of organic agriculture and resulting pressure from students and the public for new curricula tailored to the sector. It notes that more students from cities with limited production-agriculture backgrounds are enrolling in agricultural programs and demanding curricula grounded in agroecology principles and experiential training, and summarizes a workshop that brought together experts from universities across the country working on different organic and sustainable agriculture curricula to share experiences and lessons learned. Most curricula combine traditional classroom teaching, a major experiential component, a student farm for hands-on training and internships, and in some cases a marketing component typically built around Community Supported Agriculture (CSA); other programs are more extension-oriented, offering applied training to growers outside the university curriculum.