Welcome to the Agrihood: Housing, Shopping, and Gardening for a Farm-to-Table Lifestyle

by Anna DeSimone

Overview

Winner of two book awards -- Living Now Evergreen Award bronze medalist in nature conservation, and the Pinnacle Award from the National Association of Book Exhibitors. Welcome to the Agrihood, Housing, Shopping, and Gardening for a Farm-to-Table Lifestyle, has something for everyone—new homebuyers, city-dwellers, and retirees. Award-winning author Anna DeSimone explains all the ways that sustainably sourced, locally grown food is healthier, preserves farmland, and lowers your carbon footprint. LIVE IN AGRIHOOD, an eco-friendly, healthy-lifestyle community centered around a professionally managed farm. Discover why agrihoods are winning awards across the nation for "best places to live." You can have a beautiful, sustainably built home with the latest energy conservation features, and yet be surrounded by pastoral landscapes and natural habitat. This book takes you through a virtual tour of agrihoods, known for amenities such as charter K-12 schools, clubhouses, fitness centers, boating, golf, horseback riding, swimming, walking, hiking, and biking trails. Best of all, many are surprisingly close to major cities and metro areas. ORGANIC ROOFTOP FARMS are the newest trend in multifamily housing, where tenants can take the elevator to shop for fresh food, or perhaps dine at the on-site café where meals are prepared with food from the chef's garden. Many apartment complexes are incorporating community gardens into the landscape or offering individual raised-bed gardens for tenants to grow their own produce. GROW YOUR OWN ORGANIC FOOD on your porch, balcony, or in your backyard with helpful tips, planting guides, and valuable resources about sustainable, chemical-free, and environmentally friendly growing methods. This book teaches the basics of organic certification, food safety, biodiversity, beekeeping, soil testing, composting, and local laws. With infographics and clear commentary, readers will understand how sustainable agriculture helps the environment, and how far food travels. You might be inspired to start planting microgreens indoors after learning about aeroponics, hydroponics, and aquaponics. SHOP FROM THE FARMER YOU KNOW and learn the story behind your food. This book illustrates the "harvest season," and describes the scope of food products and pick-your-own options at "on-farm" markets. You'll learn about "food hubs," mission-based organizations dedicated to sustainable agriculture, fair trade, social, and environmental causes. Food hubs bring together local farmers, fisheries, ranchers, and artisans. By enrolling in a season-long "farm share" program known as "Community-Supported Agriculture" your family can enjoy fresh, healthy food and connect with the people who plant, manage and harvest your food. Contents: • The Local Food Sensation • Say Hello to Your Farmer • Urban Agriculture • Agrihoods • Backyard Farming • Community-Supported Agriculture (CSAs) • On-Farm Markets • Food Hubs BOOK INCLUDES A NATIONAL DIRECTORY OF AGRIHOODS AND LISTS OVER 2,200 RESOURCES TO BUY FRESH, LOCALLY GROWN FOOD. Listings include farm's website address (direct links on ebooks).

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781098308377
Publisher:	BookBaby
Publication date:	03/22/2020
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	216
File size:	4 MB

About the Author

Anna DeSimone is author of Housing Finance 2020, New Mortgage Programs for the New Generation of Homebuyers, Silver Medalist Winner of Axiom Business Book Awards in Personal Finance, Retirement Planning and Investing. She is a nationally recognized expert in housing finance and author of more than 40 professional guidebooks. She frequently serves as an expert in news articles published by national media including: Apartment Therapy, Forbes.com, Boston Globe, Chicago Tribune, Dallas Business Journal, Log Home Living, Michigan Chronicle, Newsday, The Penny Hoarder, Source Weekly, The Simple Dollar, and The Washington Post.

Table of Contents

Part 1

Chapter 1 The Local Food Sensation 11

How Far Food Travels

Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food

The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA)

Organic Certification

Biodiversity

Sustainable Agriculture

Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)

Carbon Footprint

Ecolabels

Chapter 2 Say Hello to Your Farmer 19

A New Generation of the Family Farm

Where to Buy Food from Local Farmers

The Cost of Food

Trends in Grocery Shopping

Restaurant Trends

Food Waste

The Intersection of Food and Housing

Housing Choices

Chapter 3 Urban Agriculture 27

Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)

Hydroponics, Aeroponics, Aquaponics

Vertical Farming

Greenhouses

Rooftop Farming

Urban Ag Initiatives

Urban Agrihoods - Rental Communities

Chapter 4 Agrihoods 35

Land Conservation Features of an Agrihood

The Amenities:

Community Centers

Boating and Fishing

Golf

Horseback Riding

Walking, Hiking, Biking

Children and Schools

Active Adult Communities

Multi-generational

Mixed-use Communities

The Farms:

Examples of Working Farms

Garden Spaces for Residents

The Homes:

Sustainable Construction

Energy Efficiency

Energy Tax Credits and Incentives

Home Features

Lot Size

Neighborhoods

Open Space

Home Styles

Chapter 5 Backyard Farming 69

Healthy Soil

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service

Organic Gardening

Regenerative Agriculture

Permaculture

Hydroponics

Aquaponics

Microgreens

Bees

Local Laws and Regulations

Farm Animals

Sale of Food

Composting

Food and Water Safety

USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map

Early Bird Planting

Vegetable Growing Season

Vegetable Planting Guide

Shade-tolerant Vegetables

Raised-bed Gardening

Container Gardening

Chapter 6 Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) 87

Box Share

Harvest Season

Food Box Contents

Market-style Food Box

Food Share Add-ons

Food Box Pick-up or Delivery

Pick Your Own

Member Activities and Benefits

CSA Pricing

CSA Terms

Box Sharing

Multi-farm CSAs

CSA Locator

Chapter 7 On-Farm Markets 95

Products Sold on the Farm

Ranchers, Fisheries, and Other Purveyors

Pick Your Own Events

Farm Activities and Amenities

Farm History

Farmers' Markets

On-farm Market Locator

Chapter 8 Food Hubs 101

The Role of Food Hubs

Food Hub Structure

Food Value Chains

Services for Producers

Services for the Community

Food Hub Locator

Part 2 State Resource Directory 105

Alabama 106

Alaska 107

Arizona 108

Arkansas 109

California 110

Colorado 114

Connecticut 117

Delaware 118

District of Columbia 119

Florida 120

Georgia 123

Hawaii 126

Idaho 127

Illinois 129

Indiana 132

Iowa 134

Kansas 136

Kentucky 137

Louisiana 138

Maine 139

Maryland 140

Massachusetts 142

Michigan 144

Minnesota 147

Mississippi 149

Missouri 150

Montana 152

Nebraska 153

Nevada 154

New Hampshire 155

New Jersey 157

New Mexico 159

New York 160

North Carolina 164

North Dakota 168

Ohio 169

Oklahoma 172

Oregon 173

Pennsylvania 176

Rhode Island 180

South Carolina 181

South Dakota 183

Tennessee 184

Texas 186

Utah 190

Vermont 191

Virginia 193

Washington 196

West Virginia 199

Wisconsin 200

Wyoming 203

References 205

About the Author 209

Index 211