Urban Food Clusters and New Urbanism

Featured Guest Blogger: Sharon McMillan, New Urban Mom

Sometimes it seems that as a nation we do what’s best for our health and longevity in spite of our own best interest.

Even as we lumber through environmental blunders and other issues of the day, our highest ideals emerge to take root in life changing initiatives like the local food movement.  One of the rarely discussed but potent factors influencing the mindset of individuals to “look locally” for healthy change is the New Urbanism movement.

Simply put, New Urbanism is a movement by planners, architects and concerned citizens to make our communities walkable places where we can live, work and enjoy the natural environments that are close to us.

Architect Andres Duany is widely acknowledged as the founding visionary for this two-decade old concept. At this year’s annual Congress for the New Urbanism he acknowledged that the movement now encompasses a greater focus on agrarian urbanism—the strengthening of community and local economies through local food cultivation and production.

As an urban dweller, mother, working woman and business owner I’m acutely interested in what this all means for residents—this is why I started the blog, New Urban Mom.  Cities haven’t been places for widespread local food production for over a century and I believe more people need help in recognizing what kind of renaissance is taking place.

Cleveland, OH

I like to think Clevelanders, tired of topping national lists for poverty, crime and unemployment, have taken on the mantle of sustainability because they realize the time has come to take advantage of their natural resources: people, ideas and proximity to some of the richest farmland in the country.

The approach worked and in 2008 Cleveland ranked second in the nation for sustainability in local food and agriculture, according to SustainLane.com rankings.

Cleveland is part of the Northeast Ohio region an area that has experienced a nearly 600 percent increase in the total number of farmers’ markets between 2006 and 2009 (GreenCityBlueLake.com).  There are almost 30 farmers’ markets in the Cleveland metro area alone.

The largest portion of this local food and agricultural cluster is in the retail and wholesale sectors (45% of the Gross Regional Product or $3.5 billion). The next largest contributor to the region’s GRP is the food services division representing 31% of the GRP or $2.4 billion (GreenCityBlueLake.com).

The state’s universities have been a key resource for Ohio’s urban farming movement. The Ohio University County Extension office initiated a community gardening program in Cuyahoga County that provides education and technology to support over 200 urban food community gardens in Cleveland.

I’m particularly excited about this program because the success of this work depends upon today’s students. They will be those who start local businesses, eat healthier and support local economies if they’re educated to appreciate and be part of this movement NOW. 

So what about jobs and business growth?  I was surprised at the number of new businesses sprouting up in the area of one of the oldest farmers’ markets in Cleveland; the West Side Market.

Popular markets attract people from urban cores and their outlying areas.  Steady repeat traffic is part of a developing marketplace that will (and is) supporting new businesses, especially restaurants, fitness centers and bakeries.

Fresh Fork  is one of the innovative start-up companies that sprouted as a result of the local food resurgence.  Started by two Case Western University students in 2008, this business connects local farmers with consumers in the Cleveland urban area.  Fresh produce can be picked up or delivered and the service is gaining popularity with residents, restaurants and corporations.  The success of this company will surely encourage the creation of similar companies in the future.

New Urbanism started as a way to make our cities more than a place to sleep and park our cars. There’s a natural human tendency to want to connect with people and our environments in a way that awakens the senses, the mind and the spirit. When we succumb to those ideals we create the potential for economic sustainability and jobs.

That’s the direction are cities are heading if the vision, the voices and the determination stay strong.

BY Steven Pedigo on August 8th, 2011

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