The Urban Farmer

Our Philosophy: The Urban Farmer is simply speaking a manifesto for living. For many of us, our inspiration for a manifesto for living is our children or the next generation of life that will inhabit this planet. They are also our most powerful agents for change. Since having my child Antonio in 2012 I have been wholly committed to finding and sharing a way in which to tread lightly on this planet. A way that is mindful of the whole. Of all my searching, the most powerful and often most underestimated way to become mindful of the whole is through food. My relationship with food and its facilitation in my becoming aware of the gravity of my footprint started with my growing it. Sowing a vegetable garden is truly the most awe-inspiring activity I have ever had the privilege of partaking in. The fundamental lesson I learnt is that nature is ultimately unlimited and life-giving, it knows no other way. Nothing in my experience has taught me this more than watching food grow. It is almost mystical to watch a vegetable shoot, grow, fruit, flower, seed, decompose and then begin this cycle over and over again. It is a perfect example of the circle of life. It is a system designed to continuously rebirth and provide life energy for the rest of nature to survive. Everything we eat comes from 4 elements, earth, sun, air and water, these elements also literally make up everything we are composed of and it is into these elements that we decompose into. When we are able to see this picture clearly, we are simultaneously able to see that we are nature and that the relationship we have with food is the relationship we have with ourselves. If nature = man and the relationship we have with nature is considered then so is our relationship with man. With this awareness, we can ask the question: “Can I become an active change-maker simply by changing the food I eat. Can a major contribution to a clean, sustainable, considered and whole lifestyle for myself and life as a whole really lie in my plate? We think so. Thank you for joining us on this journey.   How does considering what you eat make you a change-maker? When you consider whether your food is laced with harmful chemicals (herbicides, pesticides, growth hormones) or is grown in soil mixed with heavily commercial fertilizers, which are made up of only 3 of the 17 nutrients food needs to be whole, you are considering not only yourself but the environment. These chemicals kill essential biodiversity, the fertilizers wash off into rivers causing havoc with that ecosystem. So, when you say no to food grown this way, you say no to the environmental damage it causes. When you say no to the one-use plastics that cover your food, you say no to the ocean and land crises these plastics are causing. When you say yes to organically and heavily composted food sources you say yes to enriched soil full of microorganism worms and life. You say yes to bees and insects and birds. You plant a seed that grows into a garden, that grows into a perfectly sustainable ecosystem where the birds eat the insects and worms create enriched soil which strengthens the immune system of the plant which gives it immunity from disease. The flowers bring the bees and the bees pollinate and nature does its job of sustaining life. You have the choice, you stand in the most powerful position to change the impact of mass mono-cropping, heavy fertilization and chemically grown food and one-use plastics have on the environment. Use it wisely. And remember, it is not what you do some of the time, it is what you do most of the time. Sometimes we fall short of our commitment, that’s perfect too. For the most part, though, we can commit and act on being an example to our children.     Who we are, our mission:   The Urban farmer is an organic and whole food supplier, inspired by the best local and organic growers of clean, whole food. It is our mission to get this food to your doorstep as close as possible from the time it is picked and without all the packaging that it has become custom to wrap our food in. Literally from earth to mouth. Our range extends from organic fruit and veg to pasture-fed dairy and meat, with so much in – between. Where packaging is necessary, our products are by large packaged in glass or biodegradable packaging and we are continuously working with our suppliers to find sustainable packaging options and ways to get clean, ethical food onto your plate without waste. We would love to make your journey to considered food choices as consciously convenient as possible and we are so inspired to serve you.