Edible Garden City laudably grows local greens, but their greater contribution lies in sowing the seeds of locavorism
Tucked away in Queenstown, Citizen Farm at Jalan Penjara is the sort of place you consciously go to, rather than stumble upon. Even then, be careful or your GPS might lead you to a row of houses instead (note to self: always enter by Margaret Drive). Once there, sounds of the city peel away. The 8,000 square metre plot of land, which used to be home to a prison many years ago, is now occupied by Edible Garden City (EGC)’s latest urban farm incubator project.
EGC sees driving a grow-your-own-food movement as its core mission. “If you grow your own food or at least participate in it, it makes you appreciate how something is grown and the work that the farmer has put into it; it helps you eat with awareness,” says Bjorn Low, founder of the urban farming social enterprise. Over the last five years, EGC has put its plough where its mouth is, building over 60 edible gardens at restaurants like Artichoke and Tippling Club, schools, office buildings and homes; designing farming curricula for schools; and organising a multitude of workshops. Three years ago, they began a partnership with Spa Esprit Group, expanding their reach among F&B and beauty establishments. To top it off, they are committed to employing adults with special needs.
Set up just seven months ago, Citizen Farm marks a milestone on EGC’s journey. Low, an advertising executive turned farmpreneur activist explains, “Now that we have secured this base on a nine-year lease, we can observe changes on this patch of land over time.” More importantly, he adds, Citizen Farm gives them a chance to prototype a sustainable model of urban farming that can be replicated in other parts of Singapore and overseas.
CLOSING THE LOOP
This story is from the January/February 2018 edition of WINE&DINE.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the January/February 2018 edition of WINE&DINE.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
New Blood
The next-generation is breathing new life into the forgotten art of spice-mixing, peppering the traditional trade with renewed ideas and fresh perspectives.
Sharing Is Caring
Compared to its flagship at Serene Centre, Fat Belly Social at Boon Tat Street is a classier and bolder affair, in more than one sense.
Nutmeg's Role In Singapore's History
From tales of it being used to ward off the plague in mid-1300s Europe to one of the ingredients in dessert, we have all known, tasted, or at least heard of nutmeg. But not many know of the spice’s role in Singapore’s history.
New And Improved
The ever-profound chef-owner Kenjiro ‘Hatch’ Hashida finds more room, three to be exact, to express a Ha Ri philosophy at Hashida Singapore’s new location at Amoy Street.
Pairing Spice-Driven Cuisines With Wine
Pairing spice-driven cuisines with wine has long been a challenge but with a little imagination, it doesn’t have to be.
Let Land Grow Wild
Niew Tai-Ran has worn many hats: aeronautical engineering major, investment banker, avid surfer, and, for the last 14 years, winemaker. Discover how this Malaysia-born, Singapore-native is championing the “do-nothing farming” philosophy at his vineyard in Oregon.
The South Asian Misnomer
Incredibly diverse and varied than most know, Indian food is far more intriguing than butter chicken or thosai. Here is a crash course on the extensive cuisine from region to region, recognisable for the seemingly infinite ways of using spices.
Keepers Of The Spice Trade
From its glory days along trade routes to pantry staples all over the world, spices have become so commonplace that we’ve taken them for granted. For these three trailblazers, however, spice is their livelihood and motivation: Langit Collective working with indigenous rural farming communities in Malaysia; IDH’s Sustainable Spice Initiative; and chef Nak’s one-woman mission to share forgotten Khmer cuisine.
Sugar, Spice And Everything Nice
Like food, spices bring vibrancy and variety to alcoholic beverages. Surfacing in unexpected ways on the palate, find everything from cumin to tamarind, cloves to cardamom enriching these drinks.
Building Blocks From The Archipelago
For the smorgasbord of dishes found in Indonesian cuisine, it is a little known secret that the modest bumbu, in all its variants, is the bedrock of such flavourful fare.
