3 Agrihoods Taking Farm-to-Table Living Mainstream

By Beth Buczynski of Shareable All over the United States people are embracing local food production in an exciting new way. Called ‘agrihoods,’ this new type of neighborhood serves up farm-to-table living in a cooperative environment. Instead of being built around a pool, tennis court or golf course, these housing developments are centered around a farm, often using the sweat-equity of residents to create a sustainable food system for the entire community. Serenbe Community Serenbe is a 1,000-acre community located under 30 minutes from Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. The development’s four omega-shaped hamlets are carefully fitted into the natural landscape forming an interface between green, wetland and watershed areas of the site and the surrounding sloping hills. Central to all is Serenbe Farms, a 25-acre working, organic farm and CSA which provides organic produce for Serenbe’s three on-site restaurants as well as other businesses throughout Atlanta and The Chattahoochee Hill Country.^[1]http://serenbe.com  

Willowsford

Located in the heart of Loudoun County, Virginia, Willowsford spans over 4,000 acres and is comprised of four distinctive yet interconnected “villages.” More than half of this land is designated to remain as open space under the stewardship of the non-profit Willowsford Conservancy. Out of the other half, 300 acres is used to cultivate more than 150 varieties of vegetables, herbs, fruit, flowers and raise several breeds of livestock–many of which are distributed to the community through the CSA program and Farm Stand.^[2]http://www.willowsford.com/  

Kukui’ula

  It doesn’t take long to see that Kukui’ula is a bit more upscale than most of the agrihoods we’ve listed so far. But the same principles of community and sustainable agriculture guide daily life in this Hawaiian paradise. Tucked in a valley beside a 20-acre lake, the Upcountry Farm allows members to plunge their hands into the stunning red earth, cultivating bananas, papaya, chard, citrus, herbs, pineapple, arugula and breadfruit for the community to eat.^[3]http://kukuiula.com/ Of course, community gardens, urban agriculture, and cohousing communities are nothing new. But as the rapidly growing crop of agrihoods demonstrates, families are eager to reimagine these collaborative efforts in a new setting–often at the same or lower prices than a traditional suburban neighborhood.^[4]http://www.shareable.net/blog/12-agrihoods-taking-farm-to-table-living-mainstream

Are Agrihoods Growing on You?

Gardening, whether in an agrihood or in your backyard, comes with a whole slew of health benefits.  Studies show gardening is good for maintaining heart health, weight loss, lowering high blood pressure, decreases the chance of osteoporosis and is a natural destresser.^[5]http://gardeninggonewild.com/?p=27941 So why not dig in? If you’re interested in more gardening tips, advice, and ideas, check out GardensAll.com. As always, we’d love to hear what creative ways you’re reinventing your retirement in the comments or on Facebook! 🙂