illustration by Paul Hoffman

Food & Farmland

Articles and postings on farmland preservation efforts and the value of strengthening local food supplies.

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Sign for classes at Billings Forge

Anchoring a Neighborhood

Close to Hartford’s “seats of power” — state government; insurance companies; and Trinity College; you’ll find Frog Hollow, a predominantly Latino neighborhood. It has a mix of walk-up apartments, neighborhood restaurants, stores, churches, and social clubs. But anchoring it is an innovative mixed-use development called Billings Forge.

plans for Slavic Village section of Cleveland, Ohio

Audacious … or Realistic?

I met with planners trying to deal with the large amounts of vacant land in Cleveland’s inner-city neighborhoods. Their approach to turn things around: implementing creative, green-oriented strategies.

F is for Farmland

F is for Farmland

Maintaining productive agricultural soils has been the basis for the economic and cultural growth of most nation states. In America, however, farmland preservation efforts have gained momentum only fairly recently.

cartoon image of a grocery cart full of food

Wanted: Downtown Grocery Stores

As Americans’ taste for downtown living grows, so does their appetite for downtown grocery stores. So, why is it still rare to see a grocery store downtown? Economic development consultant Kennedy Smith provides some answers.

illustration of toy food truck carrying load of cucumbers

The Journey from Farm to Table

The food we consume literally travels the globe. We can now get just about any food we want, at any time of year, if we are willing to pay the costs — financial and environmental — of transporting it. A look at how food moves.

Inside busy farmers market in Montreal

To Market, To Market

Local farmers’ markets provide one of the best ways of increasing downtown activity, while offering a valuable outlet for area farmers. Author and lecturer Roberta Brandes Gratz takes a closer look at the role farmers’ markets can play — and why they’ve become so popular.