Urban Agriculture

Overview

Urban agriculture refers to the production, processing, and distribution of agricultural products in a town, city, village, or suburb. As more people realize the health and economic benefits of gardening, food preservation, and other activities, interest in urban agriculture will continue to increase.

Publications

Commercial and Professional Publications

• Safety Checklists for New Landscape Employees
• Fertilizer Injectors: Selection, Maintenance and Calibration
• Water Quality Series: Urban Storm Water Management in Georgia

General Publications

• Chainsaw Safety Tips
• Raised Garden Bed Dimensions
• Raised Bed Materials
• Garden Sheds
• Garden Fencing
• Sources of Water for the Garden
• Irrigation
• School Gardens: Planning an Edible Garden
• Siting a Garden
• Raised Beds vs. In-Ground Gardens
• School Gardens: Less Expensive Sources of Plant Material, Amendments and Tools
• Stocking the Toolshed: Hand Tools
• Growing Fruits
• Weed Control
• Extending the Crop Season: Unheated Spaces
• Know How and When to waterSmart
• How to Start a Community Garden: Getting People Involved

To see an expanded list of these pubs , go to the CAES Publications site or the FACS Publications listing.

News

For the latest news about Extension, visit Georgia FACES. News you can use about Georgia family, agricultural, consumer and enviromental sciences.

• Drought almost gone, but lingers on the southeastern coast
• Metro-Atlanta students learn about the origins of pizza at the State Farmers Market May 8 and 9
• UGA Extension helps reinvigorate the history of agriculture at the Atlanta History Center
• Survey says: Georgia farmers interested in forming food hubs as a means of marketing produce, fresh meat, and eggs
• Extension faculty to demonstrate sustainable farming know how at Georgia Organics Conference
• UGA to host sustainable farming basics workshop series
• Tackle erosion with grasses, landscape plants and terraces
• UGA researchers nominated for international sustainability award
• Andress Receives National Award for Excellence in Extension
• Shrubs and trees show subtle symptoms when they are sick

Websites

UGA-affiliated sites

• Georgia Center for Urban Agriculture
  Features an extensive catalog of single-issue factsheets, landscape alerts, landscape safety training videos in English and Spanish, certification for landscapers or plant professionals plus industry and Extension agent connections.
• Georgians Pledge to Conserve Landscape Water
• Impact Statements: Urban Agriculture
  Descriptions of Extension efforts to improve knowledge & practices related to urban agriculture.

External sites

• Georgia Urban Agriculture Council
  Advocate for the state's urban agriculture industry identifies pressing concerns and provides outdoor water use documents, news and links.

Training

Cooperative Extension offers training within local communities on a wide array of topics. To see if there are training events in your area, please visit our calendar.

• Georgia Organics' Urban Agriculture Training Program
  Program runs February through November and requires 10 hours of volunteering at urban sites per month when on-site training occurs.