Grass roots - grazing in the city

Guest blogger Dave writes:

Urban agriculture is a concept which apparently originated in New York, and has since been enthusiastically taken up by metropolitan centres around the world, as here in the German capital Berlin.

Strange to think these sheep are grazing just  a couple of kilometres from the grim concrete fortress which was home to the former East Germany's secret police, the Staasi - hated and feared in equal measure by the GDR's beleaguered citizens.

As well as the flock, bees are thriving and producing honey amid the communist-era tower blocks.

This being Berlin, the local graffiti artists have also been hard at work making their own colourful mark on the landscape.

The city farm is adorned with antique ploughs and harrows dating back to when the area was a valuable source of agricultural produce.

Most Berliners live in flats, so access to private outdoor space is at a premium. Allotments are especially highly prized and hardly ever  come onto the open market. Known as "garden colonies", allotments also act as flourishing social centres. Most of the colonies boast a beer garden, and gardeners are keen on swapping their fruit and veg among themselves. The rules governing the colonies are dauntingly complicated, and as with British beach huts, you're not supposed to live on site. Still, for most colonists their allotment is a lifelong commitment.

 

Despite being roughly the same size geographically as London, Berlin's population is only about a third as big, and that lower density means there's plenty of greenery. And thanks to the super efficient German public transport system, no matter how far you venture out into the woods, there's always a tram, train or bus to get you home.