The subject of urban farming has been getting a lot of attention lately, and no wonder. In reading an article on the success of Microsoft's Cafe 34, it occurred to me that the concept of businesses growing their own food for workplace consumption can be applied to so many industries, especially in the arena of senior living.

Much has been written about how the intersection of landscape architecture and agriculture.  Tal alon mozes published a piece in Landscape Journal exploring the relationship between the two in Israel – where, as the author states, “there seems to be an emerging need for nurturing these living landscapes as agri-culture and not solely as agri-business.”  Interesting concept:  designed landscapes reflecting the symbolic patterns of agricultural typologies which were so much a part of the emergence of the modern state of Israel. 

 I follow Sara Menker on LinkedIN.  She’s the founder and CEO of Gro Intelligence.  Today, I listened to a podcast on The Future of Farming, produced by the BBC’s Business Daily in which Sara weighed in.  My mind immediately went to much of what we’ve been pursuing together with our colleagues at Urban Smart Farms in Orlando.  Much of this can be applied to the realm of Senior Living Communities, where our expertise as landscape architects is applied as we focus on Exterior Design.  We see On-Site Food Production as a high-payoff, value-added component for our clients!