Finally had a chance to take a breather this weekend and get caught up on my TV stories. I’d been eager to watch Will Allen on the Colbert Report. I’m always happy to see the urban farming movement get a wider audience.
The interview — jumping off Allen’s new book, “The Good Food Revolution: Growing Healthy Food, People & Communities” — was respectful and funny.
I also learned a few new things, namely that Growing Power now has an impressive 17 regional training centers now. I was also delighted to hear that Allen’s vertical farm project is still on track.
And he repeated something key to all urban farming initiatives when Colbert pressed him about neighbors surely upset over sharing densely populated blocks with goats. Do goats cause any trouble for your neighbors?” Colbert asked, seemingly incredulous that goats could break loose and start eating up flower gardens and whatever’s drying on the clothesline.
“One of the first things you have to do in this work is engage your community so what you’re doing is looked at as an asset,” Allen said.
Virtual Farmgirl 