Farming in the Sky

Urban farming is gaining momentum across the globe and this is evident in the Netherlands which now claims fame to the largest urban farm in Europe. Urban Farmers, the company behind this urban farm, hope to provide 900 families along with local restaurants and a cooking school with vegetables and fish. Read the linked article below detailing this project and utilize the discussion points provided to create conversations in your classrooms and communities.

Greenhouse in the Sky

Discussion Points

• Why is there a demand for urban farms like this around the world? 
• Why is there great potential to replicate this type of production?
• Explain the aquaponics system explained in this article and the efficiency that it brings.
• Do you see something like this taking off in your local community? Explain.
• Discuss the proposal by a hog farmer to integrate hog production into the urban scene? Do you think one day this will be accomplished? Explain.
• Is urban farming a fad? React to the following statement from the article: “I always refer to the debates about parks in the city in the past. I think in 100 years, urban agriculture will be as normal as the city parks we have today.”