Urban self sufficiency: Food share – go ahead, take some, it’s free!

Video / Visuals by Stanka / written by Alen Mischael Vukelić

A urban self sufficiency project in England

Self-sufficiency does not just mean to have control over your resources; it means freedom as well.

Todmorden, a community in England, has managed to grow their own food in public places, which eventually means in their places, since a town or city belongs to its residents, doesn’t it? The end of this division starts right here, because it cuts off the perception of the invisible public, which is represented by the local leadership, and the residents who usually have no influence on the usage of public space.

First steps towards urban self sufficiency

About two years ago, somewhere in the beginning of 2011, a permaculturist, Bernard Alonso told me that in Canada – in the town where he lived – they had planted fruit trees along the way to school, so that kids could grab an apple and eat it whenever they wanted to. I must admit, never before had it occurred to me that public spaces were possible to be used in any such way.

And when I heard it, it seemed so completely natural to promote such an idea. The next thing what came to my mind was that more public places should be converted to public vegetable gardens, and that all residents should freely and without charge enjoy the fruits (and vegetables) of life. I mean – why not?

Can food be for free?

We are so used to the fact that we have to pay for those goods that we’ve lost connection to a simple truth: Nature provided food which grows everywhere to be eaten free of charge. We’ve invented this thing of paying for food; nature had a different plan.

I don’t think that this would symbolize the end of grocery stores, since they could still provide for food, which isn’t seasonal or which needs to be imported from other continents. I think this goes hand in hand, because many people still would want to eat their banana, and I don’t think there’s nothing wrong with it.

However, one thing is for sure; local food production would grow considerably; organic food production would grow as well, and the overall spending for food would decrease significantly. The engagement of the local community among themselves and the beauty of collaboration and partnership – invaluable.

Examples of urban self sufficiency

Well, as for so many things in life, while investigating into such options, synchronicity started kicking in, and things that I just imagined that could exist, in fact, existed already! Of course, not in the full-blown version of my imagination, but close.

I cannot remember anymore how I ended up watching my first video about a town in Germany, called Andernach, where people can harvest whatever is being planted on public areas, but every time I see it – I think: Isn’t this amazing? These people truly exist……………………… and soon afterwards arrived another story, this time from England, which you are going to see now. Be inspired!

Incredible Edible Todmorden

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