By Jeff Tribe

With a father who grew up on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, sisters in Brooklyn and Harlem and a brother in New Jersey, Urban Roots London Executive Director Anna Badillo’s background is as “urban” as it gets.
Her own rural roots run deep in the tomato, zucchini, pole bean and cucumber seeds her great-grandmother brought from Italy in 1935 to plant, nurture and harvest in a new world. But it was a connection that had been made distant both by time and lack of experience. Badillo discovered the disconnection when she attempted to grow seeds from her grandmother and aunt Marina in Canadian soil. 
“I took on this ‘Farmer Anna’ persona,” Badillo smiled, a persona that did not translate into a bountiful harvest. In fact, she even failed at growing basil, her aunt’s baseline benchmark.
“I was, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m a loser,’” Badillo laughed.
She was not the first “farmer” to experience disaster. But Badillo was also among those who didn’t give up, doubling down on her determination to learn combined with a willingness to put in the time and effort required to bridge her own urban/rural disconnect.
“I keep many basil plants alive now,” she smiled, their productivity testament to “so much work, so much learning and trial and error.”
“And now, I love it,” added Badillo, who has found more than fresh, healthy produce in the journey. “It’s been a whole passion lifestyle, and a career for me too.”
Badillo’s personal experience could be considered a metaphor for Urban Roots, an organic “city farm” tucked close by the intersection of Highbury Avenue and Hamilton Road in London. Four busy lanes of north-south traffic along Highbury might be an unusual backdrop for a field of vegetables, but it does highlight the operation’s innovative approach to urban agriculture.
Badillo considers Urban Roots a farming operation, first and foremost.
“It’s just small-scale farming.”
A wide range of fresh, seasonal items are grown on one acre of Urban Roots property under Director of Farm Operations Ben Wilcox with the help of Canada Summer Jobs employees, co-op students and volunteers. Spinach and kale are the first plants to go in the ground in the spring, Badillo says, followed by a seasonally-appropriate succession. The property also has two high tunnels and hoop houses, offering operational space for winter cultivation. 
It’s based on a non-profit model, supported mainly by grants and fund-raising activities rather than for-profit sales.
‘The farm’ targets a one-third/one-third/one-third approach, namely the goal of eventually reaping enough profit from selling one-third of its produce to subsidize offering the second third of its produce to social enterprises and neighbourhood individuals at a reduced 50 per cent rate, and donating the remainder to community charitable organizations.
Urban Roots produce would never go to a farmer’s market Badillo emphasizes.
“We would not want to undercut the farmers and the hard work they do.”
However, offering vegetables for sale to local restaurants, through the on-site Urban Roots market, a 12-share Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) pilot project, or seedling sales in May and June provides an element of self-sustainability.
“That wholesale tier is just to help us support ourselves and not solely rely on grants.”
Urban Roots also brings a strong element of social enterprise to the table, striving to grow community and build relationships and knowledge around the value and practices of food production.
“We’re really working to promote and educate around the importance of growing our own food and learning those agricultural skills. Urban Roots allows the community to know how their food is grown. 
“You also have the opportunity to come here and experience the process.”
Like Badillo, a significant majority of Canadians continue to be further and further removed both generationally and physically from agriculture. There is an understanding in the rural community that most “city folk” have no idea how their food is produced.
“And they’re right,” says Badillo, adding that produce is often seen as something that just shows up in a store, in a package. “This allows people to learn skills and build skills.”
Urban Roots donates seeds in the spring to various organizations promoting growing one’s own produce, as well as skills-building volunteer and employment opportunities. London youth sourced through the Canada Summer Jobs program gain access to agricultural skills and training, says Badillo, and whether or not they consider a career in that field, find the experience fulfilling and enjoyable. Beyond supporting the Urban Roots mandate, volunteers also build a practical knowledge base to grow their own vegetables.
“You can gain those skills and still live in a city,” she said. “So it’s kind of like going back to your roots, urban roots.”
Downtown Londoner Zach Small’s deeply-anchored concrete roots have sprouted a little rural understanding through his connection to ‘the farm.’
“Farming is a humbling activity,” he summed up. “But it’s very rewarding.”
The opportunity represents a convergence of factors for Small, an affinity for food – “mostly vegan” – and learning how to grow it, enjoyment in being outdoors, and community involvement supporting community well-being.
“You put the effort and love in, and the earth provides,” said Small, strongly aligned with Urban Roots’ regenerative, organic practices, and the concept of selling nutritious produce below cost to those facing financial or food insecurity or both.
“So it’s available and accessible.”
“The Farm” also provides an urban-rural hub, connecting “townies” on an elemental level with the process of food production. Julia, a co-op student from a high school within the city does come from a cash-cropping family, “mostly corn and beans” but understands her opportunity represents a minority position.
“If you are living in downtown London you’re usually not going to get a job on a farm.”
Julia would much rather be outside, “learning and doing” instead of stuck in a classroom, and feels city dwellers could also benefit. 
“Giving opportunity to people who don’t have that.”
A cursory glance from one bearing even the most rudimentary understanding of rent, machinery, input, infrastructure and labour costs – and the razor-thin margins which drive agriculture to get bigger and bigger – results in the thought the operation would be challenged to “pencil out” in a traditional way. However, elements of a more holistic and complicated accounting for urban farming’s value are embedded in Small and Julia’s responses.
Large-scale farming is crucial to feeding the nation and the world, agrees Badillo, and operations like Urban Roots will not replace that. However, she does believe they can be part of the larger picture, providing community education and value well beyond their yield, while concurrently helping bridge the rural/urban divide.
Even small-scale farming is a big-time commitment, a big-time challenge. And while Badillo’s personal growth was fostered by her ancestors and aunt, Urban Roots reached out to Common Ground Farm, Market and CSA in St. Thomas who graciously responded with “a lot of knowledge sharing and support.”
“We needed that rural connection to be able to start this off.”
But Badillo also believes large-scale farmers may be able to appreciate the value in the approach her organization takes.
“I think what they can learn from us is that small-scale farming does have a purpose and does have a place,” she concluded with a smile. ◊