Payne2010

Urban Farm-acology The Urban Political Ecology of Hackney City Farm

InitialEstablishmentHackneyCityFarm,imagefromHackneyCityFarmWebsite SO 452 Urban Environments, Lent Term 2010 Alexandra Payne

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TheUrbanenvironmentisarelationalconcept,withnecessarilysubjectiveandmoralvaluesattachedtoitscreation.Urbanpoliticalecology(UPE)isaframeworkthatcanbeusedtoexplorethesevaluesandexplainthemetabolismsbetweenhumanbeingsandtheurbanenvironmenttheycreateandlivein.(Heynenetal.,2006)UPElooksatthepoliticalandsocialrelationsthatgoverntherighttothecityandtherightofaccesstoproductivenaturalspaces.Inthiswayitisalsoanexaminationofthevaluesthatgointoourcreationofnatureandthevaluesthatgetbuiltintoourphysicalspaces.ThisessaywilluseanUrbanPoliticalEcologyframeworktoexplorethesocial,economic,politicalandspatialprocessesthatcametogethertoformthesocionatureofHackneyCityFarm,andthewayinwhichtheserelationshipscontinuetoshapethefarmanditsmeaningforthesurroundingcommunity.Historicallythenaturalhasbeenincreasinglyremovedfromtheurbanandthroughthisprocessincreasinglycontrolledbytherich.Hackneycanbeseenasaplacethatexemplifiesthisseparation,aplacewhereunevengeographicdevelopmenthasgivenwaytosocialandhealthinequalities.InconclusionIwillinvestigateHackneyCityFarm,acommunityrunfarminoneofthemostdeprivedboroughsofLondon,asapotentialremedyforsomeofthesocialailmentscreatedbythisseparation.AsoneoftheremaininglocationsinoneofthepoorestboroughsofLondonwhereresidentsoflowsocioeconomicstatushavetheopportunitytointeractwithnatureasagricultural/gardeningland,itspresencepresentsafarmacologyaspaceforhealingtheriftthathasbeencreatedbetweennatureandsociety,betweentheurbansecondnatureandnatureasmanhasimagineditinthepast.Harveyhaspointedoutthatinourcreationofhumandomains,itishardtoseewheresocietybeginsandnatureends.(Harvey,1993,p.31;28)Whatwecreatethroughourhumansocialprocessesisinherentlynaturalinthatitisaculturalrepresentationofoursociety,andthisprocessinevitablyleadstoablurringofthedistinctionsbetweentheurbanandnaturalworld.However,inLondon,thehistoricalsociopoliticalprocessesthathavemoldedthecityintoits

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modernglobalformhavecreatedanurbanenvironmentwherethenaturalintheformofproductivelandisincreasinglyremovedfromandcrowdedoutratherthanblendedwithit.Recently,anumberoffactors,includinganincreasingpopulationandlandvalues(HackneyCouncil,2006;2007)anddecreasesinpubliclyavailablelandhavecreatedasituationinHackneywherenaturespecificallyaccesstoopenspace,andareasforgardening/growingfreshfoods,andtheotherhealthbenefitsattachedtoopenspaces(consumptionofnutritiousfoods,mentalandpsychologicalwellbeing)hasbecomeincreasinglylimitedforresidentsoflowersocioeconomicstatus.Thesocioeconomicconstructionofthecityhasturnednatureintoacommodity,nolongerapublicgoodavailableforeveryone,essentiallyprivatizingthecommons.HencetheunevengeographicdevelopmentbecameaphysicalmanifestationofsocialinequalitiesInanydiscussionofmansrelationtonatureintheformofproductivelandtheheartofthediscussionnecessarilycentersononefundamentalfacthumanbeingsmusteattolive,withoutsufficientfood,andsufficientlynutritiousfoodhumanscannotsurvive.Thereforethemostimmediatevalueofanyformofproductivelandisinitsabilitytosustainhumanlife.Humanbodiesareproducedandreproducedthroughsociometabolicprocessesthatlinktheirexistencetoexternalprocessesthatproducefood.Thesamesociometabolicprocessesthatarethemselvesconstitutedthroughrelationsofsocialandpoliticalpowerthroughawideassortmentofculturalmeanings.(Heynen,2006,p.129)The2006MayorsFoodStrategyforLondonshowedthatalthoughLondonersbenefitfromtheavailabilityofacomplexfoodnetworkthatsupportstheimmensefoodneedsofthegrowingcity,theseneedsaremetunevenly,especiallyinlowerincomeneighbourhoodandinmanypartsofLondonpeoplestruggletoaccessaffordable,nutritiousfood.(MayorofLondon,2006,p.3)Thesestrugglesthenresultintheunevenexperienceofillhealthamongdifferentsocioeconomicclasses

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andethnicities.ThishasbeenhighlightedbybothGarrets2005casestudyofLondon,andthemorerecent2009reportATaleofTwoObescities(acollaborativeeffortbetweenLondonandNewYorkUniversities).Bothsetsofresearchfoundthatnutritionrelatedillhealthforexample,obesity,diabetes,mentaldistressandillness,andhungerwasmorelikelytobesufferedbyethnicminorities,thepoorandthedisadvantagedlivinginhighlydeprivedareasofcitieswherehealthyfoodisoftenneitheraccessiblenoraffordableandphysicalinteractionwithnatureisconstrained.(Freudenbergetal.,2009;Garnett,2005)Heynenhaspointedoutthat,historicallythequantity,qualityandvarietyoffoodpeoplehaveeatenhavebeendeterminedbytheirplaceintheireconomyandtheinstitutionalstructuresinplacewithinthoseeconomiestoproduceanddistributefood.(Heynen,2006,p.124)TheFoodStrategyalsomadethisconnectionnotingthatthosewithlowersocioeconomicstatuswerelesslikelytoliveincloseproximitytohealthylocalfoodsources.Therefore,improvingLondonershealthandreducinghealthinequalitiesdependsonincreasingsupportforlocalproducers,andtherebyensuringasecureandsafelocalfoodsupplyforthedeprived.(MayorofLondon,2006)ConnectedwiththisideaisMarxsunderstandingofsocietyandhumanhistoryasaproductionofmanslabour.HeexplainsthatMenmustbeinapositiontoliveinordertobeabletomakehistoryThefirsthistoricalactisthustheproductionofthemeanstosatisfytheseneeds,theproductionofmateriallifeitself.(MarxinSwyngedouw,2006,p.24)Itfollowsthen,thathewhocontrolsthemeansofproducinglife(productiveland)controlstheproductionofhistory,andalsothefurtherdevelopmentoftheurbanlandscape.Separationfromthelandisthereforedetrimentaltoanindividualsimmediatehealth,butalsoaffectstheirfutureabilitytointeractandprocessspaceinamannerofoneschoosing.Furthermore,ourunderstandingofthehumanbiologicalprocessesofmetabolizingfoodgoeshandinhandwiththeirinteractionwithproductivespaces.AsMichelleObama,JamieOliver,andawholeotherlonglistofpoliticalfiguresandrestauranteurs

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cumfoodpioneershavenotedinthefightagainstbothfoodpovertyandobesityamongschoolchildreninboththeUSandEngland.Asaresult,thoseinlowerincomeneighbourhoods,cannotidentifynaturalfoods,tellthedifferencebetweenvegetablesanddonotknowwheretheirfoodcomesfromorhowitgrows.Inthiswaywecanseethatthevalueofconnectiontoproductivelandgoesbeyondtheimmediatenecessityoffoodtotheseparationofanunderstandingoftheimportanceandvalueofthatfoodandthemeansofconnectingwiththisresource.AHistoricalSeparationofProductiveLandfromthePoorTounderstandhowthedisadvantagedofHackneycametobeexcludedfromnatureitisimportanttounderstandthattherearehistoricallyspecificdimensionsto[any]urbanexperience(Gandy,2006,p64.)andthatthesesociopoliticalhistoriesarebasedonspecificvalues.Gandypointsoutthat,natureisevokedasanideologicalandmetaphoricalschemafortheinterpretationofreality(Gandy,2006,p.65).Inmodernhistory,thecityhasbeenpittedagainstnaturewiththelatterbeingviewedinstrumentallyasasetofrawmaterialstoaidinmansprogress.(Barry,1999)Duringtheindustrialera,withtheintensificationofcapitalism,naturewasastoreofrawmaterialsforhumaneconomicpurposesandthismeantthatthosewhocontrolledithadtherighttoitsexploitationfortheirproductiveneeds.Whennaturebecamenothingmorethanatoolformansprofitandmanipulationitledtoadisregardforthedestructionofnature,whichinturncausedcitiestobecomeincreasinglypolluted.Citieswereperceivedtoresideoutsidethenaturalorder(Gandy,2006,p.64)incontrasttothepurityofthecountryside.Thusthecitybecamesecondnature,somethingseparateandasidefromthedirtonwhichthecitywasbuilt.(Barry,1999)ThisvaluecanbeseeninAbercrombies1940planforLondonscontinuedurbandevelopmentwhichrestricteddevelopmentwithinagreenbelt(Thomas,1963)tokeeptheurbanfromencroachingonnature,butalsohadtheeffectoflimitingaccesstothisspacetothosewithprivatetransportation.Withinthecity,naturewasalsotobeprotected.Itwasrelegatedto

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appropriateandorderlyspacesparksandallotmentstowhichaccesswaslimited.Inthisway,landwithproductivevaluewascutofffromfreepublicaccess.GardenCityplannerssuchasEbenezerHowardunintentionallyreinforcedthisseparationofthepoorfromnaturewiththecreationofpristineneighbourhoodsbuiltinsuburbanareas.Althoughplannedforthepoor,theseareaswerealsoplannedaroundprivatetransportandasaresultwerecooptedbytheupperclasses,furtherconfiningthepoortotheinnercity.AsEngelspointedout,powerliesinthehandsofthosewhoown,directlyorindirectly,thefoodstuffsandmeanstoproduction.(Heynen,2006,p.134)Alongwiththisseparationofmanandnature,cametheseparationofnatureasameansofproductionfromcertainclasses.ThesesociopoliticalhistorieshadtheeffectofrestrictinggardenuseandurbanlandcultivationtowealthierclassesbylimitingaccesstoalargepartofLondonsgreenspacetothosewithprivatetransportation,privategardens,oraccesstogovernmentlicensedallotments.DomeneandSaurinotedanimportanttensionbetweencitiesincreasingenvironmentalism,thepromotionofgreenidealsandsocialjusticeissuessuchastheprovisionofgardeningareasfortheunderclassesandtheneedforurbangrowth.Theyarguethatvegetablegardenscomplywiththesustainabilitygoalsthatmanycitiesandtownsarecurrentlypursuingaroundtheworldandthereforebecomeprotectedandencouraged.[However],theymayposeobstaclestothesteadyadvanceofurbanizationandareerasedfromthecitylandscapes.(Domene&Sauri,2007,p.288)Theyseetheseproductivespacesasscenariosofconflictbetweendifferentsocialgroupsvyingforcontroloftheurbanenvironment.TheseconflictsofclassinterestarealsovisibleinLondon.Allotmentswereoriginallydevisedtocompensatethepoorfortheprivatizationofthecommons(thedesireofthewealthytohavemoreformalcontroloftheirproperty).Thisproductivelandwasformallyprotectedin1908bytheAllotmentActofParliament(Thompson,2007;Garnett2005),whichformallysetasidelandforthepoorwhocouldnotaffordspaceforgrowingfood.It

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wasrecognizedthatthereneededtobesufficientaccesstoproductivelandforthepoorandthisspacewasmeanttoremainproportionalaspopulationsgrew,withthesuggestioninthe1940sbeingthattherebeatleastfouracresofopenlandforeverythousandcityinhabitants.(Exploring20thCenturyLondon,n.d.)However,fromthe1950stothelate80stherewasadecreaseinavailableallotmentsduetodevelopmentdemandsonland(AllotmentVegetableGrowing,n.d.)andtheproportionofallotmentsinHackneylongerrepresentsenoughlandtosufficientlyservethepopulationinanequitableormeaningfulmanner.Whilethereareover30,000activeallotmentholdersinLondon,(Garnett2005)thereareonly124remainingallotmentplotsinHackney(HackneyCouncil,2008a),hometosome212,200people(Ibid.,2010)nowherenear4acresper1000people.WhileHackneyhasthehighestacreageofparksofanyLondonborough,itisalsooneofthelargestboroughsandhassomeofthelowestpercentagesofproductivespaceavailable.(SeeAppendix)IncreasingdemandforhousingandthegentrificationofmanyareasfurtherlimitedtheuseofurbangreenspaceinHackneytotherichandtheavailabilityofopencommonareasandcommunalgardeningareas.Thishasmeantthatthepoorsaccesstoproductivelandremainslimitedandthereforesodoestheiraccesstothementalandphysicalhealthbenefitsthislandembodies.TheConstructionofHackneysEnvironmentTraditionally,Hackneywasaworkingclassarea,anditremainsoneofthepoorestboroughsinLondon:ithasconsistentlybeenoneofthemostdeprivedboroughsinEngland,rankingsecondhighestin2007,withalmostallitswardsscoringinthe20%mostdeprivedofthecountry(SeeAppendix2).ItsresidentsconsistentlyhaveloweraverageincomesperhouseholdthanaverageLondoners;italsohasthehighestnumberofitsresidentsliveincouncilhousing.(Hackney

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Council2008b,2009)WhilethoseinlowersocioeconomicgroupscontinuetoliveinHackney,ithasbeguntoattractamuchmoregentrifiedpopulationasGustavo,thefarmsEnvironmentalandEnterpriseManagerpointsout:IlivejustdowntheroadinTowerHamlets.Itsprettysimilarintermsofwealth;both[areas]areamongthemostdeprivedinLondon.TowerHamletsisquiteBangladeshi,[while]ethnicallyHackneyisveryTurkishandCaribbean.Theolderwhitecommunity,oldEastEnders,peoplewhoworkedinthefactoriesaremoreworkingclassHackneyhasprobablybenefitedmorefromgentrification.Whichisagoodthingandabadthing,uptoapointInterviewer:untilthecommunityhastomoveoutGustavo:whichhasstartedtohappenImeanthisareawasadump.Butnow[HegesturestowardsthegentrifiedmotherbabypairsintheCafspace](Payne,2010b)ThisGentrificationhasaffectedthepoorsaccesstoproductivegreenspaceintwoways.First,asaresultofchangesinpopulationandspeculation,housingpriceshaverisen184%inthelast10years.(HackneyCouncil2006;Nationwide,2009)Thishascausedhigherdemandforopenspacetobedevelopedandcreatedadisincentivefordeveloperstoincludegardens.Itisestimatedthatoverthelast5yearssome7,900acresofgardenandgreenspacewaslostinLondon,mostlyduetonewdevelopments(Smyth,2009,para.3).Second,housingunitsthatstillincludegardens,ornewerbuildingswithrooftopgardensincludedonpreviouslyopenspace,areoftentooexpensiveforlowerclassresidentsofHackneytoafford.ThesefactorshavedisproportionatelyaffectedHackneyspoorpopulations,resultinginanunintentionalenvironmentalclassism.AsDomeneandSaurihavepointedout,thekindoflandscapeswecreatearelinkedtowiderissuesofurbandevelopment,urbansustainability,andthesocialpreferencesforcertainurbannaturesoverothersinacontextofrapidurbangrowthandincreasingcompetitionforlandneithersocioenvironmentalchangesnorenvironmentalplanningaresociallyorecologicallyneutral.(Domene&Sauri,2007,p.288)

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Inthiswaywecanalsoseethebeginningofabourgeoisieenvironmentalism,wheretherichvalueaccesstogardensandgreenspace,andhaveinfinitelymoreaccesstousingandshapingthesespacesthroughtheircontrolofcapital.ThiscanbeseeninLondon,wheretheaffluenthaveeasieraccesstolandoutsidethecity,alongwiththebuyingpowertoaffordhousingwithterracegardenswithinthecityandthechoicetoliveinapartmentswithrooftopgardensorothergardeningareas,thepoordonot.Althoughtherehasbeenafocusonrenewedsustainabilityandenvironmentalism,thegreeningofLondonhasyettotrulyaffectLondonspoor,especiallythoseinHackney.UrbanFarmingasAcologyHavingreviewedthemajorissuesthathaverestrictedtheaccessofthepoortogardeningandagriculturalspacesinLondon,itisimportanttopointoutanexception.InsouthHackney,attheheartoftwoofLondonspoorestboroughsandjustdowntheroadfromthelivelybustleofBroadwayMarketliesHackneyCityFarms.Onanygivendayyoucanseeaspacealivewithlocalparentsandtheirchildren,pettingtheanimalsandtakingclassesinthegarden;youngmotherswithstrollerscrowdingnoisilyintothecafrentedoutatthefrontofthepremise;childrenfromlocalschoolslearningaboutsustainabilityandgrowingfood;andvisitorsofallwalksoflifepoppingtheirheadsintoenjoythefruitsofanunlikelyurbanmetabolism.ThefarmitselfissurroundedbyoneofthemostdeprivedandunderresourcedinnercityareasintheUK,withhighlevelsofunemployment,manyyoungpeoplenotinschool[nor]employment,(Pounds,2007,p.6)andwheremanychildrenaresoremovedfromnaturethattheyhaveneverseenfarmanimals.Nordotheyknowwhattheirfoodlookslikeinitsnaturalform,orwhereitcomesfrom.(Payne,2009a)Thefarmslocationinthemidstofthisareahasmadeitavaluablecommunityresource;asortofFarmacology,aremedyforthesocialillsembodiedinthehistorically

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constructedurbanenvironmentofHackney,whichseparatesethnicminoritiesandlowersocioeconomicclassesfromnatureintheformofproductivespacesandthereforefromnumerousformsofpersonalwellbeingAcologyisthescienceofremedies(Acology,n.d.)andthatispreciselywhaturbanfarmshavethepotentialtobe:specificsocionaturesthatcanaidinassuagingthesocialandphysicalailmentsofsociety.UrbanFarmingandgardeninghavelongbeenshowntoimproveindividualandcommunityhealthandwellbeing(Thompson,2007,p.162).IthasbeenshowninEnglandthatproximitytogardensandgreenspacesinthecitycanreducesocialandhealthinequalitiesandthaturbangreenspaceimprovesyourhealth.(Freudenbergetal.,2009;Smythe,2009;)However,inLondon,itisusuallythemostdeprivedpopulationswhohavetheleastaccesstospaceforgardeningandurbanfoodcultivationformeaningfulandproductiveinteractionwiththeland,whichbringsalongwithitsocialandhealthbenefits(bothphysicalandmental).Asnotedabovethehistoricseparationofmenfromnatureintheformofproductiveresourceshasledtoastateofphysicalandsocialdetriment.Urbanfarmsgavethepotentialtoremedytheseills.Thisideaseemstohavebeenpickedupinrecentyearsasmanycitiesacrosstheworldhavebegunfocusingonurbanagricultureasameansofreintroducingproductivenatureintourbanfooddesertsinimpoverishedareas.Londonhasrecentlybeguntofocusonhealthyeatingandlifestyles,andinthe2006FoodStrategyforLondontheMayorsofficehighlightedtheimportanceofeatingfreshfoodsandoutlinedtheneedtosupportopportunitiesforsmallscalefoodproductionforindividualsandcommunities(MayorofLondon)inordertobringhealthyfoodbackintotheurbanlandscapeandmakeitlessexpensiveandmoreeasilyaccessibletolowerincomeindividualswhosufferunjustlyfromhealthissuesbroughtonbyfoodinequality(MayorofLondon).Inrecentyearstherehasalsobeenanincreasedinterestinlocaleating,organicfoods,

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sustainability,etc,broughtonbyglobaleffortstoreducecarbonfootprintsandaddressotherenvironmentalissues.RelatingwiththeLandTheidentityofthefarmisinherentlytiedupwithitslocationinaseverelydeprivedarea,itsreclamationofaBrownfieldsiteintheinnercity,itsstatusasalocalruncharityanditsrelianceongrantsandsocialenterpriseforsurvival.ThevalueofHackneyCityFarmtothecommunitymustthereforebeunderstoodthroughitssocial,environmental,andpoliticalrelationships,asidentitiesshiftwithachangingcontext,dependantuponthepointofreferenceandcanbeunderstooddifferentlydependingonthevantagepointoftheirformationandfunction.(FriedmaninHarvey,1996,p.7)Theserelationshipswillbeexploredinmoredetailbelow.Hackneyfarmsspecificlocationisaprimaryentrypointforunderstandingitsvalue.First,itrepresentsthereunionofsomeofthecitiespoorestandmostdeprivedcitizenswithproductivelandthattheywouldnototherwisehavehadaccessto.ThelocationofthefarminthemiddleofthecityandattheheartoftwoofLondonspoorestboroughsmakesiseasilyaccessibletoresidentsinanumberofways;itisineasywalkingdistanceformanyofitsvisitorsandclosetoanumberofpublictransportlinkstotherestofthepopulation.Furthermore,HackneyCityFarmisfreeandopenyearroundtothegeneralpublic:unliketheallotmentsystemthereisnoneedtoapplyandwaitforaplottoopenup,nortopayarentalfeetomaintainlicensetousethespace.Itthereforepresentstheopportunityforpeopleofallclassestointeractwithnaturewithoutmanyoftheconstraintsthathavehistoricallylimitedthisinteraction.Sincetheconstructionoftheurbanenvironmentisarelationalconstructwithmoralandsubjectivevaluesattached.Itmatterswhocreatesenvironmentsbecausethatdictateswhose

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valuesarerepresented.ThelocalcommunitystartedHackneyCityFarmin1984indirectresponsetotheneedsoftheircommunity.AsCharlieputit:Itwasstartedasacohesionproject.Thepeoplegottogetherandsaid,lookattheurbanenvironmentwerelivingin,werebringingupawholegenerationofchildrenthathavenoideaaboutfood,aboutanimals,aboutanythingbecauseweveallbecomesodivorcedfromthat.Itsasocialprojectprimarily.(Payne,2010a)Today,HackneyCityFarmisstillmanagedanddrivenbylocalpeople.Itisacharityandvoluntaryorganization,aregisteredenvironmentalbody:itisasocialenterpriseandavibrantcommunityresource.Itsmainaim,asstatedintheFarmBusinessPlan,is:Toenhanceandimprovethequalityoflifeforinnercitypeople,especiallythoseinneighbourhoodsandcommunitiessurroundingHackneyCityFarm,byaddressingsocial,economicandenvironmentalissuesandprovidingappropriateandmuchneedededucational,training,healthandrecreationalopportunities,withinaframeworkofcityfarmingandlocalenvironmentalimprovement.ToengenderandfosteragreenecofriendlycommunitywithinahealthyandmuchimprovedareaofLondonwhilstalsobringingtogetherdisparatecommunitiesinareassurroundingtheFarmaroundtheissuesofimprovingthequalityoftheirlivesandtheirenvironment.(Pounds,2007,7)TheFarmwasstartedonbrownfieldlandandhasauniquerelationshipwiththelanditwasstartedon,asbothGustavoandCharliepointedout:TheFarmsbeenaroundforover25yearsorsoItwasreallyallslumhousinganditgotclearedandtheymadeapark(Payne,2009a)TheBoroughowns[theland],whywegetitonsuchgoodterm?Itwasderelictland,andinthe80stheseguyscameinandwerereallyconvertingapieceofdisusedspaceItwasabrewery,beforethatabuttonfactory[andthen]theareawastotallybombedoutinthewarInthe80stheymanagedtonegotiatea100yearcontractwiththecouncil(Payne,2009b)Thefarmslocationonoldindustriallandisareentryofproductivenatureintoapreviouslypollutedlandscape.Asenvironmentalinequalityoftenleadstosocialinequality,thereforeimprovingtheenvironmentalqualityofanareathenhasthe

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potentialtolimitthesocialandenvironmentalinjusticesufferedbythelocalpopulation.AnotherimportantpartofHackneyCityFarmsrelationshiptotheareaisthelowcosthundredyearleasetheyobtainedfromthecouncilontheplot(presumablybecausethelandwasanundervaluedindustrialsite.)Thislongtermleasemeansthatthefarmissomewhatprotectedfromtherisinglandvaluationanddevelopmentpressuresinthearea.Thisallowsthefarmtoresist(atleasttemporarily)thecapitalistforcesthathavecontributedtotheremovalofurbanagriculturalspacesfromthecity.Howeveritdoesntchangethecircumstancesfacingthetargetbeneficiariesofthefarminthesurroundingneighbourhood.Theincreasingrisingpropertyvalueandrisingrentsintheareameanthatthosewhodonotownarestartingtobepushedout.Currentlythefeelingofthefarmsworkersisthattheyaresuccessfulinservinglowerincomefamiliesinthearea,butgentrificationisanoftaddressedtopic,asCharlieandGustavbothpointout,currently:ThefarmreflectsmuchmoreaccuratelythedemographicoftheareaThelowerincomefamilies,itspeoplelikethatweareaimingatsomethingthatthefarmwassetupandmanagedtostartwithWhenthefarmwasstarteduptherewasnttheyummymummydemographic,andweareaware,particularlywiththisideaofthisgardenprojectinthepark,[that]itcouldeasilybegetcooptedbythemiddleclasswhohavethetime,themoney,arealreadyinterestedingrowingtheirownvegetables(Payne,2009a)Anotherproblemtheyoftenfaceisthefactthat,evenwiththelowrent,theymuststillfindmoneytoruntheirdailyoperations.AlargepartofthismoneycomesintheformofGrantsfromsustainability,Farm,andeducationaltrusts,aswellastheNationalLotteryandanumberofcorporatesponsors.Havingawidebaseisveryimportantasitagainallowsthefarmtobemuchmorestable,however,asChrispointsout,relyingmostlyongrantscanbedifficult:Itsfindingthemoney[thatstheproblem].Myjobispaidforbythenationallottery.Itpaysfortheregularemployeestimeandthingslikeexpenses,butifwewantedtobuildagreenhouse.thecapitalcostscantcomeoutofthelotteryfunding,youcantbuythings,capitalthings,thingsyoucanownandsell,soIwonderifvegetablescount?IfIwanttobuysupplies,howdoIpayforthatitcanbequiteexpensive.Thatsafundingthingforthe

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farmifwewanttogrowfoodtosellproduceenoughfoodtosellitsexpensivesowehavetofindotherfunding(Payne,2009a)Theseeconomicconstraintscreateatensionbetweenwhohasthefinalsayovertheactivitiesatthefarm,aspurchasesmustfallinlinewiththeguidelinesforgrantmoney.However,thishasstillhadabeneficialside,ithascausedthefarmtoreachouttootherinstitutionsinthecommunity,aswellasencouragesocialenterprise.Inthiswaytheeconomictensionshavealsobeenbeneficial,astheyhavecausedthefarmtodeepenitsconnectionswithinothercommunityorganizations.FoodforThoughtWhileHackneyCityFarmtechnicallyconstitutesproductiveland,thefarmdoesnotcurrentlyproduceenoughfoodtosellyet,andthereforedoesntservethepurposeofprovidingnutritionalbenefitstolocals.AlthoughtheyhaverestructuredtheoriginalgardenstobemoreproductiveandplantoopenacommunitygardeninLondonFieldsinabandonedareatogrowcheapproduce,theirlackofsufficientfoodproductioncallsintoquestionthebenefititsuppliestothelocalcommunity.However,DomeneandSauridiscussthefactthatassocionaturesgardenshavephysicalandsymbolicmeaningsandthattheirworthgoesbeyondtheirphysicalproductivecapacitytomoralanddiscursiverealmstheyaresymbolsofwhatwevalue,adesiretouseurbanbetter,thesenseofbeingusefultoothers,areconnectionwiththeland.InthiswayHackneyCityFarmsprovidesanumberoffurtherbenefittomembersoflowersocioeconomicgroups.Theyofferjuniorandadultgardeningcoursesandruneducationalprogramsonsustainability,eatinglocally,andgrowingvegetablesforlocalschools.TheseprogramsprovideinteractionwithnatureandagriculturetosomeofthepoorestchildreninHackney,manyofwhodonothaveaccesstoanysortofgardenintheirhomes,ortoagriculturallandoutsidethecity.ThefarmalsosupportsaGreenAmbassadorprogram,whichworkswithlocalcommunityleaders,teachingthemabouttheimportanceoftheenvironmentandsustainabilitysothattheycanengendertheseideasintothe

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community.Inallthesewaysthefarmservestoreconnectpeoplewiththeconceptoffoodgrowth,sustainability,understandingofnatureandwherefoodcomesfrom.Whilenotsupplyingtheactualnutrition,itchangespeoplesconnectiontofoodandproductivespaceandgivesthemthechancetointeractinamoreindepthwaythanjustwalkingthroughorsittinginapark.PlantingnewseedsIftheUrbanenvironmentisarelationalconcept,withnecessarilysubjectiveandmoralvaluesattachedtoitscreation,thenitcanbeimpliedthatbyadjustingourvaluesandchangingourwayofunderstandingandrelatingtotheurbanenvironmentwecancreatemoreequitableplaces.EnriquePenelosa,mayorofBogota,hassaid,Citiesareaboutawayoflife...Peoplebehavethewaytheyaretreatedandifthecitytreatsthemwelltheyrespondinkind[Therefore]wehavetocreateasocietywhereotherthingsarevalued(E2,n.d.).Thephysicalwayweconstructthecityisimportantbecauseitisasymbolofourvalues.UrbanModernityisaparticularsetofprocessesofsociometabolictransformations[that]promisesexactlythepossibilityoftheactive,democraticandempoweringcreationofthosesociophysicalenvironmentswewishtoinhabit,andhumanagentsaredifferentfromotherformsoflifeintheirorganiccapacitytowishdifferently,toimaginedifferentpossiblefutures,toactdifferentlyinwaysdrivenandshapedbyhumandrives,desires,andimaginations.(Swyngedow,2006,p24)Whatwebuildisaphysicalmanifestationofourvalues,recreatedthroughouttimeandreinforcedbythatwhichwecreate.Thisiswhythehistoricalseparationofmanandnaturehasprovensodetrimental.Whenweseparatefromnatureweseparateourselvesliterallyfromthatwhichweneedtoproduceandreproduce.Wehavetheabilitytomoveforwardfromhere,tomakeurbanfarming,asfarmacology,anewpolemicagainsttheseparationofsocietyfromnature.Societiesandindividualshaveaninherentandinseparableroleincreatingtheurbanenvironmentsaroundthem.Allsocietiesareinthe

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processofcreatingandrecreatingtheirnaturalenvironments,andbecauseofthisoururbanenvironmentsreflectbacka"naturalizationofthesocialassumptionsthatsculptedsuchlandscapesinthefirstplace.(Smith,2006,p.xiv)Wecreatenewvaluesthiswayandengenderthemovertime.Pounds(2007)hascalledHackneyCityfarmalearningopportunityasalivingexhibit.Itisasymbolandalivingsocionaturethatisconstantlyredevelopingandhastheabilitytorecreateitself,andtosetanexampleforthecreationofothersimilarplaces.Therefore,ifwerevolutionizeourwaysofthinkingabouttheurbanenvironmentandourcitieswecantransformtheplaceswecreate.

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Appendix1GraphsofLandUseInHackney

Region London Borough Land Use (Square metres (m2))

London Hackney Tower Hamlets Total Area of All Land Types 394,440.50 4,709.32 6,097.81 Area of Domestic Gardens 94,061.74 872.36 448.22 Area of Green space 150,773.84 1,093.95 926.92 As a percentage of All Land Types London Hackney Tower Hamlets Area of Domestic Gardens 23.85% 18.52% 7.35% Area of Green space 38.22% 23.23% 15.20% Area per Person London Hackney Tower Hamlets Population 7,619,800 212,200 220,500.0 Area of Domestic Gardens 0.05 0.02 0.01 Area of Green space 0.08 0.02 0.02

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Appendix2

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