SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE
Chattahoochee Nature Center, Roswell, GA (2013-15)
Consultancy: Martin's Garden at Coleman Farms, Roswell, GA (2015)
Agriculture is a significant part of humanity’s ecological footprint. Uneven access to fresh, healthy food correlates strongly with income gradients, with major gaps in poor urban areas known as “food deserts.” Sustainable urban agriculture attempts to address both of these challenges at once. By utilizing methods such as inter-cropping, companion planting, rotational growing, composting, and integrated pest management, a diverse array of food can be grown in a relatively small space, while minimizing negative impacts to the environment. But elevating public health of marginalized communities also requires addressing the systemic barriers to access and other challenges with incorporating fresh foods into one’s diet. Important work is being done to begin to address these issues such as farm-to-school programs and organizations working to transform potentially wasted food into meals for those experiencing hunger and homelessness.
My experience managing a small urban farm in the Atlanta metro-area provided valuable insights into local food systems, while also developing my skills in budget management, grant writing, event planning, volunteer coordination, curriculum development, and the design and facilitation of public workshops and service learning projects.
