City and suburban agriculture tucks food production into any available space: backyards, rooftops, balconies, parking lots and sidewalks.
In nearly every culture, small-scale food production is a tradition involving individuals, friends, families, schools, churches and whole neighborhoods growing home and community gardens in yards, vacant lots, roadsides and parks raising produce and sometimes animals for the gardeners who often share and swap harvests.
In Montgomery County, alongside backyard chickens and summer vegetable gardens, some urban agriculture is taking the form of small gardens grown to ornament businesses and supply fresh produce for the business owner, workers, families and even passers-by.
Dr. Video (890 Radford St., Christiansburg) is growing tomatoes, oregano, marigolds and lemon balm in a sturdy raised bed in its parking lot.
“We used to grow a garden at the corner of the building there every year, but it didn’t do very well with the stormwater from down the hill,” Mike Webb, Dr. Video owner said. “So, this Mothers’ Day, my sons built this box for a Mothers’ Day present.”
Sons Andrew, Robert, and David built the box for their mom, Chris Webb, planting her favorites.
“That’s lemon balm,” Mr. Webb said, “and oregano and that’s a German heirloom tomato. My wife’s half-German, so if something’s German, we like to try it.”
On busy East Main Street in Radford, New Wheel Bikes in its handsome brick vintage building (1220 E. Main St., Radford) grows vegetables for family and passers-by.
“We eat the tomatoes we grow and sometimes people pick them when they come by,” Mark Williams, New Wheel owner said. “It’s a community kind of thing. I don’t have a problem with that. That’s what everybody should do.”
Above the sidewalk, an iconic Schwinn dangles over bikes for sale and rent on the sidewalk and the hip-high, deep green tomatoes and a pepper (its mate was pilfered pot and all) flanking the tall, old doors.
“We plant tomatoes every year. There’s a lot of good sunlight there most of the day. The sidewalk’s not doing much. It’s a good place to have something living.”