We believe in a holistic, organic approach to gardening and agriculture.
We believe in a holistic, organic approach to gardening and agriculture. We know that if we want to leave this planet healthy for future generations, we have a lot of work to do in restoring the health of our soils, our animals, and our food system in general. Eastside Urban aims to provide the tools, knowledge, and resources to help people restore their land, and raise healthy food for their family and communities.
We view farms and gardens as microcosms of the larger (macro) picture. Every yard, garden, homestead, and farm is composed of many systems and layers of interactions between soil, animals, plants, and people. That plot of land in turn is part of a larger system of a neighborhood, watershed, and community. We encourage people to look at both the detail and the larger picture of their land and resources. The microclimates that exist even in one city lot offer a diverse array of opportunities to grow all kinds of amazing plants and animals, and with proper planning, can be extremely productive AND beneficial to your family, neighborhood, community, and the wider ecosystem we all share.
Sustainable and renewable agriculture
As part of our commitment to sustainable and renewable agriculture for generations to come, we are committed to helping restore the health of soil, pollinators, and wildlife, and helping people to find natural long term solutions to producing food using methods that work with, not against, nature. We only sell neonic-free plants, and we maintain our entire nursery using only organic practices and products. Additionally we will sell only certified organic seeds, and have taken the safe seed pledge:
“Agriculture and seeds provide the basis upon which our lives depend. We must protect this foundation as a safe and genetically stable source for future generations. For the benefit of all farmers, gardeners and consumers who want an alternative, we pledge that we do not knowingly buy or sell genetically engineered seeds or plants. The mechanical transfer of genetic material outside of natural reproductive methods and between genera, families or kingdoms, poses great biological risks as well as economic, political and cultural threats. We feel that genetically engineered varieties have been insufficiently tested prior to public release. More research and testing is necessary to further assess the potential risks of genetically engineered seeds.“
Our cultural heritage is inherent in the foods we eat, the seeds our grandparents saved and shared with us from their own gardens, and the family recipes passed down through generations. The plants we grow and seeds we save are part of our cultural heritage and must be protected. We strongly oppose the patenting of seeds and laws forbidding anyone to save seeds. The loss of genetic diversity and the economic destruction of farmers represented by GMOs and corporate owned seed pools is staggering, and we support the efforts of seed savers, the Organic Seed Alliance, and other groups working to insure our food future is equitable, and that farmers and gardeners around the world have the right to save and share seeds, and knowledge. We strive to provide as many open-pollinated, heirloom, and regionally appropriate plants, heritage breed animals, and certified organic supplies and resources as possible to our community. Food rights and the struggle for a more equitable and just future are inseparable. Our commitment to creating a safer, more sustainable food system and resilient communities includes our commitment to social justice, farmworkers rights, immigrant rights, and the sharing of agricultural knowledge and resources to empower as many people as possible. This last year living under a pandemic has started to open everyone’s eyes to who and what is truly “essential”. As it turns out, food and the people that know how to produce it sustainably are very important to the future of us all! We’d like to empower as many people as possible to learn how to grow their own food, increase local food resiliency, and break free from our widespread sole dependence on corporate food production.