Agrihood life is becoming more popular across the U.S. as planned , community food for thought - sharpen living communities take hold . What is an agrihood ? It ’s a residential neighborhood that supports itself throughcommunity farming . but put , everyone has a stake in the development of food and shares in the bounty . AnUrban Land Institutereport says there are currently more than 200 agrihoods in at least 28 states .
What is an Agrihood?
Agrihoods are n’t commune based on share political or religious feeling rather they are focused on farming and husbandry . Participation in the farming duties varies per agrihood , with some allowing residents full access to land and ranching experiences . But regardless of involvement , residents have memory access to honest and levelheaded food .
Some agrihoods are commercialise toward an affluent demographic . However , the agrihood model may be applied to urban areas and lower - income housing areas . Several agrihoods offer affordable housing , including emplacement in California and Colorado . The Kiawah River Agrihood near Charleston , South Carolina . Courtesy Peter Frank Edwards
Examples of Agrihoods
Residents live in bantam homes in Tiny Timbers , near St. Croix Falls , Wisconsin . As a final result , most occupant own their home base debt - free . With only 16 household , bantam Timbers house physician share responsibility for horticulture andcaring for chickens , honey beesand orchards .
The creators ofKiawah River Agrihood , near Charleston , South Carolina , built an agrihood community around preexisting , established farm . Kiawah River partners with multigeneration , existing farm and others . Residents may go or volunteer on the farm or participate in the Community Supported Agriculture ( CSA ) computer programme , and may gossip the Kiawah River husbandman market .
“ Kiawah River is the part ’s only agrihood , ” says Caroline Rogers , account executive for the Lou Hammond Group in Charleston . “ With 20 miles of shoreline , 2,000 acres of picturesque property , include a 100 - acre workings farm , a goat dairy and a CSA platform , Kiawah River is a maritime haven of residential , next retail and hospitality offerings with custom and semi - custom homes have gamy - quality coastal computer architecture . It ’s a place where life sentence is centered on outdoor pursuits and traditional low body politic pastimes . ”
Kiawah River Broker - in - Charge Chris Drury sound out , “ Kiawah River offers the rarified opportunity to inhabit in a waterfront biotic community . The community seamlessly complement health by offering a sustainable lifestyle with farm - to - mesa comforts , outdoor educational activities and much more . ”
Resident Dana Berg says that being capable to walk among the creature and have refreshful egg every 24-hour interval is a special experience . “ The community share computer programme is awesome , ” she says . “ The fresh vegetable , fresh love and goat cheese and more are delicious and are delivered right to your front door . ”
“ The everyday beauty of everything we have access to never gets old , ” says resident Lindsay Cobb . “ The eggs are simply amazing and the memory access to fresh vegetable is so unequalled . ”
The Kiawah River Agrihood near Charleston, South Carolina. Courtesy Peter Frank Edwards
Kiawah River Chief Environmental Officer Jeff Snyder has witnessed Kiawah River transform from a gross farmland and private hunting ground to a sea island agrihood . “ It has been a pleasance working in the community , teaching others how to reap their own vegetables , plant seeds , and support the local farms , ” he read . “ I feel so honored to contribute to the preservation of the land while supporting the future of Kiawah River and its residents . ”
A 10 - acre farm near Richmond , Virginia , the Chickahominy Falls agrihood offers housing for occupier who are ages 55 and over . Texas has legion agrihoods including Harvest Community , which is a 1200 - acre , 3,200 - home labor near Dallas .
Agrihood Benefits
A 2018 ULI report applaud agrihoods because they are inspired by a “ grow sympathy that development rivet on food - production space can bring out multiple benefits for individuals and communities while heighten veridical estate performance . ”
Agrihoods may be advantageous for developer because they typically involve less nation and maintenance than golf game course of action or swim pools . As for economic impact , agrihoods attract holidaymaker from cities and area eating house . The Kiawah River Agrihood near Charleston , South Carolina . Courtesy Peter Frank Edwards
Besides give residents authentic access to food , agrihoods may bring through family farms and can keep farmland in production . They may also be more sympathetic than starting one ’s own farm . And food transportation costs are eliminated .
On the downside , agrihoods require cap and piddle , are management - intense , risky and involve experimentation . Sustainable agribusiness is intriguing and difficult employment . Weather , pests , predator , poor soil and deficient staff are all part of the mixing . Some agrihoods struggle with resident physician who willy-nilly pick crops and some who do n’t carry their work load part . To remedy this upshot , sure agrihoods have hire full - time sodbuster to oversee the process .
Agrihood development benefits include packaging of health , societal interaction , a good environment benefits , utilisation and a strong local economic system . element involve in the fashion model include land , intellectual nourishment , funding , scheduling , communicating , housing and figure and people .
Harkening bet on to compound - era practices , agrihoods offer a modern moral force with solid food - production spaces that variegate . They may involve residential district farm , presentment farms , small - exfoliation / accessible - scale farms , comestible landscaping , vineyards , grove / olive groves , community of interests gardens , rooftop farms , senior centers , hideaway centers , and farms or garden at churches , school day , public land , and corporate campus . As well , controlled - environs husbandry , such as greenhouses , warehouse , and merchant vessels containers may be involved , along with other areas or locale . The Kiawah River Agrihood near Charleston , South Carolina . Courtesy Keen Eye Marketing
The Kiawah River Agrihood near Charleston, South Carolina. Courtesy Peter Frank Edwards.
The Kiawah River Agrihood near Charleston, South Carolina. Courtesy Peter Frank Edwards
The Kiawah River Agrihood near Charleston, South Carolina. Courtesy Keen Eye Marketing
