Water
Savings of 85% through rainwater harvesting and re-circulation systems.
Land
Vertical aeroponic systems allow for use rooftop space or marginal land
Local
Growing where people live reduces the carbon footprint by up to 90%
Natural
methods of pest control = NO synthetic pesticides.
Good Food
Chosen for flavour, full of nutrients and delivered on the day of harvest.
Our Vision
to grow food where people live and grow it sustainably.
The finest local herbs and gourmet lettuce to leading hotels and restaurants, and food waste management solutions.
Our Farm
on the rooftop @ Access City
Our groundbreaking rooftop urban farm is the first of its kind in South Africa, combining greenhouse technology and aeroponic growing methods to naturally produce the finest local herbs and gourmet lettuce for leading hotels and restaurants in Johannesburg.
Situated in the Maboneng Precinct, east of the CBD, we are at the heart of Joburg’s urban regeneration.
Urban Farms’ philosophy of “responsible food” means:
1. our produce is produced using sustainable methods and the latest technologies
2. our farming system and methods maximise nutrition, flavour and freshness
3. local year-round production and the lowest possible food (CO2) footprint
Food Waste Recycling
reduce the carbon footprint of your home or business today.
Food waste ending up in landfill is one of the largest contributors to the climate change crisis. Because food waste at landfill rots, rather than decomposes, it produces methane 20 times more harmful than CO2
In South Africa, we are well behind the recycling curve with 98% of our waste ending up in landfill sites, and a staggering 60% of this waste is food waste!
We provide solutions for homes and businesses to recycle their waste and contribute to a more sustainable South Africa.
Commercial Waste Solutions
reduce the cost of food waste removal and your carbon footprint
Urban Farms provides commercial food waste recycling solutions for a number of corporate institutions, resulting in cost savings when compared with traditional waste collection. Our food waste recycling solutions are tailored, turn-key and include training & ongoing support. Depending on the clients facilities, our solutions are either:
- on-site composting and recycling where Urban Farms provides the technology and training to assist facilities in converting their food waste into compost on site.
- off-site logistic service where food waste (separated at source) is collected and composted at one of Urban Farms’ composting partners.
Contact us, and take the first step to becoming a more sustainable business and unlocking potential savings in your food waste disposal system.
Some of our commercial clients include:
Home Waste Recycling
turn your kitchen waste into rich compost
Recycling your household food waste using our Bokashi system is clean and simple! We offer courses to schools and youth groups; teaching the importance of recycling our food waste into rich compost and introducing the joy of growing your own food. Contact us for specific information on our course.
how it works
Using anaerobic digesters, all food-waste including cooked and uncooked meat, sea-food, onions, garlic and dairy is layered with bokashi where a fermentation process occurs.
After fermentation the bin is left closed for two weeks to complete fermentation. After the two weeks the stable fermented and non-rotting food waste can be safely trenched, composted or fed to worms.[/one_half]
about bokashi
Bokashi is wheat-bran or barley-malt inoculated with a mix of probiotic bacteria, yeast and fungi. Developed in the 1980s in Japan bokashi is now globally used for the management of food waste. There are many recipes for bokashi – just google “how to make bokashi” – but in general you need a carrier (bran), molasses, water and the mix of EM (effective micro-organisms). Bokashi is safe, natural and 100% biodegradable. Bokashi breaks downfood waste through a fermentation process.
the benefits of food waste recycling
When wet-waste is separated from other waste, dry recyclable volumes increase by over 30%. So, through this simple action, not only are you turning food-waste into a resource you are also reducing the volume of other material going to landfill.
- Reduce landfill loads.
- Reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
- Build soil health.
- Enhance plant growth in gardening and agricultural use.
- Eliminate malodour in kitchens and the environment.
- Help control fly, roach and rodent infestations.
Farm your Garden
all you need to get started in a BOX!
We want to make getting started as an urban farmer as simple as possible, and most of all a FUN and REWARDING experience for the whole family.
Step ONE is to plant something edible in your garden. Many of us have dreams about an idyllic country setting or retreat, but why not bring this to the city? Get the kids involved, they will love spending time outdoors and even better they will be learning valuable skills for their future. Food security and food price escalation are increasingly important issues, so the ability to farm your garden and produce some of your own food, will become a vital skill.
Urban Farms have made this first step as simple as possible:
farm-in-a-box
The Urban Farms farm-in-a-box is the ultimate starter kit to get you farming your garden. Packaged with simple instructions and all the required elements to get started, just add water!
The farm-in-a-box includes:
- Simple, step-by-step instructions and specific soil recommendations
- Patented fabric growing container, provides the ultimate environment for your urban farm
- Seasonal vegetable, fruit and herb seed packs (tailored to maximise the variety & yield from the farm-in-a-box)
- Vegetable, herb and combination options available
- Bokashi soil conditioner, to ensure soil starts off rich in micro-organisms, ensuring a healthy system
expand your farm
Once you have harvested your first seasons crop, our farm-in-a-box refill packs, make the change of season a simple and effective process.
The refill pack includes:
- Seasonal vegetable, fruit and herb seed reels (tailored to maximise the variety & yield from the farm-in-a-box)
- Vegetable, herb and combination packs available
- Bokashi soil conditioner, to ensure your growing medium has all the nutrients your next season’s crop requires
- Simple, step-by-step instructions and guidance.
Once you have harvested and enjoyed your first “home-grown” crop of delicious, fresh organic produce and replanted your urban farm, we know that you will want to expand!
Add to your urban farm, by planting herbs or additional vegetables in a suitable Smart Pot aeration container. These patented fabric pots are guaranteed to produce the healthiest and most productive plants, thanks to their:
- fabric construction allowing heat to dissipate and eliminating the threat of over-watering
- air-root pruning ability leads to the development of optimal fibrous root systems
- tough construction, guarantees years of use.
meet the head honcho
and the driving force behind Urban Farms
wayne harpur
founder and owner
Being health conscious and a passionate wanna-be chef, the inspiration for growing my own produce stems from my desire to create dishes from produce that I have grown organically and picked as fresh as possible, with zero food miles! As an Urban Farmer I am driven to plant vegetables that I can’t get in a supermarket, grow heritage tomatoes and have a wide variety of herbs on hand to flavor my cooking. Closing the household consumption loop is at the heart of the Urban Farms philosophy; from recycling household food waste into micro-nutrient rich compost (using Bokashi), converting a portion of your garden or patio to food production and eating wonderful fresh produce that is good for your body as well as the environment. I believe that we are all able to make decisions today that reduce our impact on the environment and ensure a sustainable future. Urban Farms’ passion is to provide you with the tools and support to make this a simple and fun experience in your household.
Interested in our services? Get in touch and see how we can help.
Contact Us
Contact
All you need to know to get in contact with us
Send a Message
Contact Info
- , Access City Rooftop, 5 Beacon Road, New Doornfontein, Johannesburg
- O +27 72 227 5949
- d 0866 108 115