Somerville is at the forefront of the urban farming movement.

By Jim Clark

In a move that is certain to please both seasoned and amateur backyard farmers alike, the Somerville Board of Aldermen passed the Urban Agriculture Zoning Amendment last week, making the homegrown movement more robust and vital than ever.

The ordinance will allow residents to cultivate their own crops, as well as keep a limited amount of chickens and bees, and spells out specific guidelines and requirements for such activities.

Citing many benefits to the city and its residents, advocates of the ordinance pointed to the need for easy access to fresh foods, especially in areas where such access is limited. By encouraging home, community garden, and commercial farming within the city, it is hoped that the movement will provide better opportunities for growing and sharing local edible goods.

Guidelines for production and sales of the goods produced have been outlined and will be enforced by the appropriate agencies. For example, permits will be required for those who wish to keep chickens and beehives. A maximum of 6 chickens will be permitted in residential areas, and up to two beehives will be allowed. Also, it is required that those who keep them do so on the property where they reside.

Growing fruits and vegetables for later sale does not require a permit, but the garden’s soil must be tested for contaminants such as lead. Ordinance guidelines do not affect those who grow food for their own consumption.

Specific rules apply for selling the homegrown goods. The selling period will be from May 1 through October 31, and one may sell only three days per week with a total maximum of 25 days of sales. Additionally, one may not sell produce grown in a community garden.

A complete rundown of rules and guidelines will be detailed and published by the city, including those by the Somerville Board of Health, in the near future.

Mayor Curtatone has been a long-standing advocate for the urban farming program. In addressing the Board of Aldermen earlier this year he stated, “Somerville has been recognized as an innovative community, both for our award-winning programs and initiatives, as well as for our ability to do more with less, providing quality services for our residents on a balanced budget. The urban agriculture initiative proposed in this SZO amendment provides another opportunity for Somerville to serve as a national model of how a densely populated urban community can become an agricultural hub. The proposed zoning amendments would simultaneously provide opportunities for healthier eating options for all residents, as well as opportunities around local food entrepreneurial activity and job training for both youth and adults.”

Somerville already looks to be ahead of the urban farming curve, having established Groundwork Somerville, the Somerville Growing Center and Green City Growers. These, along with a successful Farmers Market program, including two outdoor markets, one indoor winter market, and a mobile market at the Mystic Housing Authority on Mystic Avenue, seems to have put the city at an advantage when it comes to providing homegrown goods at affordable prices.

Those seeking more information about the urban farming movement can visit the blog set up by the city at http://somervilleurbanag.tumblr.com. A Facebook page has also been established by Somerville Loves Urban Gardening (SLUG) at www.facebook.com/groups/SomervilleGardeners.