Fresh & Local is a group of urban farming enthusiasts, trying to capitalise on the city's tight spaces
It all began rather innocuously, six years ago, when Adrienne Thadani moved to Mumbai and yearned for a fresh salad. "Fresh & Local (F&L) started as a way to learn more about organic farming in Mumbai; make gardening easy and accessible and transform urban spaces into green community places," she says.
Through F&L was born a felicitous coupling between Thadani, Nicola Antaki, Ganesh Lokare and Aditi Punj (the F&L team) and a growing community of residents, who are learning to coax plant life from within the cracks of the urban jungle.
One of their most popular projects is Flyover Farm, a rooftop community farm perched atop a building within the swirling mess of traffic on Muhammad Ali Road. "We're trying to develop this space as a demonstration of what can grow on rooftops here in Mumbai. We get asked all the time, 'so what can we grow?' Then when someone comes to Flyover Farm and sees bananas, drumstick, chikoo, mango and tamarind trees along with seasonal vegetables and herbs, it's clear that so much is possible!" says Punj. Flyover Farm has open house and volunteer days on Wednesdays and two Sundays a month, where "we will try to do some of the larger work that needs completing in the garden such as mixing soil, planting, putting up trellises and cleaning up. Anyone is welcome," adds Punj.
F&L's other initiatives are more oriented towards growing food. This includes growing chemical-free fruits, herbs and vegetables to supply Colaba's hip restaurant, The Table. "In the past, we have also worked with Breach Candy Club and private clients to set up small-scale kitchen gardens," Thadani elucidates. Clearly, F&L embodies what is best about Mumbai—a positive attitude that leads to creative, improvised and wonderful responses to harsh urban living.
"The project for the Dharavi Biennale is called 'Growing Fresh Air in Dharavi' and is a collaborative project between Fresh & Local, Nicola Antaki, SNEHA and UCL. The plants were selected based on Kamal Meattle's and NASA's studies that list the best indoor plants for cleaning air. The project has many goals, but mainly it aims to introduce the concept and research around Fresh Air plants to the Kumbarwada district of Dharavi, and to work with the local potters to design better clay pots to facilitate keeping these plants in and around the homes in Dharavi."
- Adrienne Thadani
"The plants that we've chosen remove various chemical toxins from the air such as xylene, toluene and more. The Areca Palm plant releases copious amounts of moisture into the air; the Mother in Law's Tongue plant produces oxygen and removes carbon dioxide at night. The Money Plant is easily available and suited for indoor growing. Our whole philosophy is based on the idea that anyone can engage in some form of gardening. With the right guidance and information, any place can turn into a green haven and be used for growing food. We really appreciate when other buildings participate or start segregating their waste. When one gets involved in gardening, one learns about our place in the cycle of life, which includes production as well as waste. By segregating waste, composting it and then putting it back into a garden, a large gap in the cycle is closed."
- Aditi Punj
F&L believes that anyone can create an urban garden with the correct information and guidance. Get in touch with F&L at www.facebook.com/freshandlocalindia / 096198 24557.
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