Dig in to urban agriculture! Submit your idea!

March 16, 2015 - All around the world, people are getting together to grow food in parks and schoolyards, on boulevards and rooftops. Neighbourhoods and organizations are working together to grow food, build community, and green our cities. The movement is taking root in the Thunder Bay area!

The Food Strategy is working together with EarthCare Thunder Bay and Roots to Harvest to engage more people in urban agriculture projects in Thunder Bay. We want to involve and support people in transforming neighbourhoods and communities through small-scale urban interventions.

Wait, What's An Urban Agriculture Intervention?

Let's face it, brownspace is boring, underused parks are sad. An urban agriculture intervention changes that!

An urban agriculture intervention is any activity that creates a new, or expands an existing, urban agriculture project. Urban agricultural interventions are meant to be fun and accessible to the public. And most importantly, urban agriculture interventions intervene in the mundane and make public space more interesting!

Some examples of urban agriculture interventions include:

Starting a rooftop garden or community garden
Turning a boulevard into a space for growing food
Creating a community composting system
Establishing pollinator corridors
Hosting a workshop, or urban farmer fair

These are just a few ideas! Check out the Inspirational Ideas! page for more examples.

If you submit an idea you will be invited to join us at an Ideas to Action Cafe the evening of April 22, 2015 (location details still to be finalized). At the Cafe you will have the chance to connect with different groups in the city, learn about funding opportunities, and hear feedback from respected community leaders, city staff, and others that will help you move your ideas into action.

How Do I Get Started?

It's easy! To get involved, do the following three things:

Put your thinking cap on! You may already have a clear idea of a project you would like to see happen. If not, think of what your community or neighbourhood needs, and what kinds of urban agriculture inspire you.
Submit your idea by April 1, 2015 using the online form found here.
Attend the Ideas to Action Cafe, April 22, 2015. The Ideas to Action Cafe will connect urban agriculture interveners with resources to take your idea into action this growing season!

Details on the time and location of the Ideas to Action Cafe coming soon. Please submit your idea even if you are busy that day.

Who Can Apply?

This project is open to citizens and organizations in the Thunder Bay area, which includes Thunder Bay, Shuniah, Oliver Paipoonge, Gillies, Neebing, Conmee, and O'Connor.

Some General Guidelines

Urban agriculture interventions are intended to:

Inspire inclusive actions that respond to community needs and make our urban areas better
Improve our urban areas through beautification and by increasing community food security
Build and foster community networks
Be non-partisan, non-religious in nature, and non-commercial in nature