Urban Farming Middlesbrough, 2007

The agenda: Middlesbrough 57% of people live in most deprived areas of England Low life expectancy High incidence early death Higher than regional average number of people feel “in poor health” Lower % than national average eat ‘5-a-day’ Under-achievement of local schools Nearly 50% of front gardens are more than three quarters paved

57% of people live in most deprived areas of England

Low life expectancy

High incidence early death

Higher than regional average number of people feel “in poor health”

Lower % than national average eat ‘5-a-day’

Under-achievement of local schools

Nearly 50% of front gardens are more than three quarters paved

The bigger food picture Where does food come from? How is it produced: by factories or farms? “Healthiness is in the ingredients, not the system” Food is love is deference

Where does food come from?

How is it produced: by factories or farms?

“Healthiness is in the ingredients, not the system”

Food is love is deference

Ways forward Make people conscious of food systems Make it easier to connect lived experience to the broader system Create a positive sense of people’s food systems Make it easier to absorb ideas of sustainability and environmental health Help people change habits Connect the urban with the rural

Make people conscious of food systems

Make it easier to connect lived experience to the broader system

Create a positive sense of people’s food systems

Make it easier to absorb ideas of sustainability and environmental health

Help people change habits

Connect the urban with the rural

The DOTT Project ‘Grow zones’ Meal assembly centre Town Meal Opportunity map DOTT Festival

‘Grow zones’

Meal assembly centre

Town Meal

Opportunity map

DOTT Festival

Large container 1.85m(h), 2.40m (w), 6.1m (l) 33 tonnes soil & substrate per planter 25 packets seeds 50 seedlings 12 strawberry plants 9 rasberry plants Implements Canes

1.85m(h), 2.40m (w), 6.1m (l)

33 tonnes soil & substrate per planter

25 packets seeds

50 seedlings

12 strawberry plants

9 rasberry plants

Implements

Canes

Medium container 1m (d) x 1m (w) x 1m (l) 1 tonne soil & substrate 3 packets of seeds 6-10 plants Implements Canes

1m (d) x 1m (w) x 1m (l)

1 tonne soil & substrate

3 packets of seeds

6-10 plants

Implements

Canes

Small containers: windowboxes

We provide the containers, soil, seeds, seedlings, tools and expert ‘phone-a-friend support’

You provide the interest, enthusiasm, locations and people power

We sow in April and harvest through to the end of August….

16 primary & secondary schools Linthorpe Road retailers Sure Start & Fire Service University of Teeside Maltby Grange Farm Allotment growers Local farmers

16 primary & secondary schools

Linthorpe Road retailers

Sure Start & Fire Service

University of Teeside

Maltby Grange Farm

Allotment growers

Local farmers

There will be a series of cooking events in kitchens in the town, using fresh produce…

… .and a town barbie in September 07 in front of the new art gallery, featuring locally-produced meat

What opportunities are there in the town for growing food? What impact could ‘urban agriculture’ have on Carbon Dioxide emissions? On sustainable urban design? And how can urban Middlesbrough connect with rural farmers?

What opportunities are there in the town for growing food?

What impact could ‘urban agriculture’ have on Carbon Dioxide emissions?

On sustainable urban design?

And how can urban Middlesbrough connect with rural farmers?

We plan to commission a special strategic study….

… .then the project will be exhibited outside Baltic in Newcastle-Gateshead, October 2007, to an audience of over 12000 people….

Project Team David Barrie (Producer) Zest Innovation (Service Design) Debra Solomon (Food expert) Middlesbrough Council Groundwork South Tees Middlesbrough PCT Tees Valley Arts Middlesbrough College

David Barrie (Producer)

Zest Innovation (Service Design)

Debra Solomon (Food expert)

Middlesbrough Council

Groundwork South Tees

Middlesbrough PCT

Tees Valley Arts

Middlesbrough College

More at http://www.dott07.com/go/public-commissions/city-farming [email_address] Mobile: 0777 5945302