Agrihoods

Growing Homes with a Land Trust: Supporting Community with Good Food

A Seattle-based non-profit organization retained MetroAG Strategies to complement the work of its real estate design and development team. The development project will create about two dozen affordable, net-zero energy, cottages for sale on a parcel of land currently owned by a church. The site currently hosts a thriving community garden that supports a handful of low-income immigrant families with healthy food options for themselves and their neighbors.

Transforming the Built Environment with Food

by Kathryn Gardow

“Empowering people through education to transform the built environment for long term sustainability.” Wow!, Northwest Ecobuilding Guild’s powerful words set the tone for our presentation at the Guild’s annual “Slam and Summit,” the northwest’s... Read more...

Elk Run Links to Farm

by Kathryn Gardow

In the 1990’s the rage in real estate development was both stand alone and master planned community golf course construction. The Golf Club at Newcastle repurposed an old construction landfill with 36 links, a stunning club house, and outstanding views to Puget Sound... Read more...

My Backyard Harvest

by Kathryn Gardow

My yard is brimming with food now always arriving in the hot, sultry, dog days of summer. I plant only what I can grow, nurture and produce successfully. I don’t want failure. Gardening takes a lot of persistent, dedicated, focused work. Preparing the soil,... Read more...

Agritopia®–A Little Bit of Arizona Heaven

by Kathryn Gardow

The first and only time I visited Phoenix was twenty-five years ago. All I remembered from that trip were endless strip malls, six-lane arterials, lots of double left-turn lanes, roads filled with cars, and cascading water fountains. The bubbling fountains at the... Read more...

Serenbe: An Innovative Community

by Kathryn Gardow

Fulton County, Georgia is best known as the home of Atlanta, the 9th most populous U.S. metropolian area and Hartfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the most traveled U.S. airport. North of downtown Atlanta is continuous suburbs, countless dead-ends and... Read more...

The New Agri-hood

by Kathryn Gardow

“I live next to a farm!” This can be said with enthusiasm and excitement or disappointment and disgust. Living next to a farm can be a good or a bad thing, depending on your point of view. City folks want to move to the country, as they see it as idyllic... Read more...

Where Sustainability Reigns and Community Flourishes

by Kathryn Gardow

My yard peaked in abundance in September. The last tomatoes were picked before the fall rains came. At the same time, ideas percolate about creating community where families thrive because children play, elders impart wisdom, Millenials connect and food is grown.... Read more...

An Agricultural-Residential Development Solution

by Kathryn Gardow

Local produce heaven is now… asparagus, strawberries, cherries, snap peas; followed by string beans, cucumbers, basil, tomatoes, peaches; culminating with apples, corn, winter squash. What would make every food summer more perfect? Living in a community that... Read more...

Sustainable Development: Incorporating Agriculture

by Kathryn Gardow

What is a sustainable community? Currently, in real estate development lexicon, it is a transit-oriented project with sidewalks, bike paths, served by public transit with green/energy efficient buildings, and perhaps limited parking. But, there is a new aspect of... Read more...