An urban market gardener, one objective The aim of this project is to: "Show that it is possible to make a living from market gardening in small urban spaces. The aim is to show that the city can be massively greened without the need for external financial support, like a green space. A market-gardening area can be economically sustainable with the work of the market-gardener alone. I want to convince developers and urbanites who want to convert that it's possible.
After a career in consulting and communications, Philippe Zerr decided to go back to school to become an urban market gardener in 2014.
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Philippe, why market gardening? 🎙
" I was in communications and therefore in the arts. I wanted to find a job where I didn't have too many doubts about the value of the fruits of my labor. My last big art project ended badly and I knew I wanted to do something else."
"The idea of market gardening came to me because I wanted to grow on rooftops, already because I'd tried growing on my balcony, like a lot of city dwellers, and I was struggling with sunlight, and I saw all these flat roofs through my window. It kind of piqued my curiosity. I thought, why don't we grow on rooftops?
"And not having an answer that satisfied me, I got involved in this and in 2016 I started a research project on this sector and then everything came together with the Urban Marmite project on the roof of Groupama. " .
Farming in urban micro-farms
In May 2017, the Marmite urbaine association entrusted him with running the market gardening activity on the roof of Groupama's head office as part of a pilot project designed to demonstrate the viability of an urban micro-farm.
This space enabled him to develop his expertise and interest in the sector. A year later, he set himself the challenge of applying innovative urban market gardening techniques based on bio-intensive production models to a 36 m² peri-urban micro plot.
Since 2020, he and his partner have been cultivating a 600 m² plot in the heart of a condominium in Lyon's Etats-Unis district. This project, co-sponsored by the landlord GrandLyon Habitat and the cooperative Place au Terreau and entitled the 8ème cèdre, promotes the values of social inclusion and physical and economic accessibility to fresh, quality produce.
In this podcast, Philippe explains the basics of his production method in the heart of Lyon, as well as the distribution channels for his products. At the same time, Philippe runs a committee within the Maison de l'Agriculture Urbaine Lyonnaise (Lyon Urban Agriculture House ) to meet project leaders looking for experience or land.
With market gardening, Philippe seems to be returning to his first love, communication and consultancy. He tells us " In market gardening, from an artistic point of view, everything is very simple: it's all about producing food. It's easy to communicate and share what I do, because it makes sense to everyone, of all ages and cultures. Food is universal. It's something that feels good after a career in the arts in which you're always obliged to justify what you do and why you do it."
The benefits of urban agriculture
The cross-disciplinary nature of his career and his views on the challenges of urban agriculture mean that today he has a wealth of expertise in the field, working with both public and private players in urban agriculture and the land sector. By demonstrating that an economically and ecologically viable alternative is possible, Philippe answers many of the questions that the makers of the city of tomorrow are asking: What is the economic model for the urban farmer? What kind of production? What contract should be signed with the farmer? And what to do with degraded soils?
From a social and cultural point of view, the impact of Philippe's project is not insignificant either. By setting up in the heart of disadvantaged neighborhoods, he is also raising awareness of the importance of urban greening in the living environment of city dwellers.
From an environmental point of view, the role of an urban vegetable garden in the city is often unsuspected. And yet, for a metropolis like Lyon, the desartificialization of plots of land reduces the heat island effect observed in many parts of the city. It also combats soil sealing and encourages the reintroduction of biodiversity.
Last but not least, the United States micro-farm is also an opportunity to consume ultra-fresh and ultra-local produce at affordable prices from field to plate, right in the heart of the priority district.
Have you listened to it? Has it seduced you?
We did! And he whetted our appetites with the promise of baby fennel, mesclun, Pak-Choï cabbage, radishes, zucchinis...
By the way: If you'd like to meet Philippe at his market and buy some of his produce, come and see him at his garden shed on Tuesday evenings between 4 and 6 pm at 298 avenue Berthelot (at the foot of the Eugène-André and Cazeneuve residences). You're sure to find what you're looking for!
🎙 Listen to the podcast: #5 Philippe Zerr, urban farmer of the United States micro-farm 👨🌾
