What the Heck is an Agrihood?

Agrihoods coming to SC - What does it offer to you?

It turns out an agrihood is a still-evolving term, but for the most part, it's a neighborhood that somehow incorporates a farm or garden intended to provide not only food but recreation for the community. Agriculture + Neighborhood = Agrihood. It's not a surprise that as people have become more and more concerned with environmental issues, agrihoods have taken root. (I'm so proud of that pun!)
It's almost impossible to know where and when the modern-day agrihood was born. However, the Michigan Urban Farming Initiative (MUFI) is widely credited as developing the first urban agrihood in Detroit. Tyson Gersh, the president and co-founder of MUFI, stated their mission "is to empower urban communities by using agriculture as a platform to promote education, sustainability, and community while simultaneously reducing socioeconomic disparity." The idea in some form or another has caught on, with over 200 agrihoods across the nation. There is no such thing yet as a "cookie-cutter" agrihood, some offer food only to those who help do the work, some offer their crops to the surrounding community, and some even offer education. As I said, it's a still-evolving term.

I lean towards believing the pioneers of the modern agrihood weren't just concerned with people's physical health but also with the well being of the environment and economic sustainability, among many other things. I wonder if they thought about the fact that it would probably become another trend to be used as a sales feature, which being that I'm a real estate agent, I couldn't help but think about. As I looked into the agrihood for this blog, I realized what a political topic it could be. However, for this blog, I only want to discuss what it can offer to homeowners today, and that can be significant.

Existing agrihoods differ greatly, from ones like Agritopia in Arizona with an 11-acre farm to Willowsford in Virginia with a 300-acre farm! The amount of participation required by the neighborhood members can also differ greatly. Some agrihoods may be worked strictly by members, whereas some outsource employees. The benefits for those living in the agrihood and participating in the work can be immediate. For example, things, like spending time outside, getting physical exercise, and eating more freshly grown fruits and vegetables, tend to affect people's physical and mental health quickly. Other benefits may take a little longer to realize, monetary savings, or community education. On top of these, the social benefits that come from getting to know your neighbors more deeply, and the way-of-life transformation can be priceless.

The birth of the agrihood seems to have coincided with Millenials becoming the average home-buyer today, at least that's what some data suggests. Just as golf courses and gyms became coveted within a neighborhood in the '90s, more and more green space is becoming desired today, so maybe agrihoods will become as common. Some people even believe that many golf courses will be transformed into farms, orchards, or other types of green space in the future, putting the natural resources to better use.

Agrihoods are just starting to show up in South Carolina, with The Cliffs Organic Farm serving communities in North Carolina and northern South Carolina and a development called Net Zero Farm in the works in Greenville. Mount Pleasant is staying ahead of the trend with what I would consider a mini agrihood going in off of Highway 17 and Old Georgetown Road. The Pinckney Farm community by K. Hovnanian Homes will boast a community garden to grow flowers, herbs and vegetables, and is within walking distance of Boone Hall Market.
If you love the idea of adding agriculture into your everyday life, I would suggest you get online and start researching agrihoods, I doubt that Pinckney Farms will be the last one we see around here. If you would like to take a look at one of their models or want more information about Pinckney Farms in general, please comment below or give me a call and let's go take a look!