Sustainable Urban+Regional Food Systems

Artisan Agriculture

Artisan agriculture (AA) is a term emerging to describe the approach to agriculture and farming that is not only compatible with its urban context, but is designed to significantly benefit from the presence of a large adjacent population. Characteristics of artisan agriculture include:

• Production of high quality niche market items that eaters will pay a premium for.
• The distinct lack of toxic chemicals, large machinery, and degraded landscapes.
• Pasture based grazing for livestock, who play and important function in the nutrient cycling on a farm.
• Direct marketing to families, chefs, and specialty stores.
• Prices that reflect the whole life cost of the item being sold and provide farmers with a sustainable livelihood.
• A frequent priority of human labour over large scale mechanization.
• On-farm intern/mentorship opportunities.
• On-farm composting and nutrient cycling.
• Customized and creative systems for crop and livestock rotation depending on climate, season, and ingenuity of the farming team.
• Others.