'Decentralized Urban Farming' Takes Root in San Francisco

"He calls his enterprise, MyFarm, a "decentralized urban farm." His aim is to turn San Francisco's under-used, overgrown backyards into verdant plots of green that will provide organically grown food for the city's residents."

"Since May, Paque, 29, has planted half an acre of vegetables if you add up all 55 gardens that his farmers have sown. He hopes that the 150 or so families his enterprise will be feeding by spring will represent the dawn of a new age of local foods in even the biggest cities."

"MyFarm charges customers $800 to $1,200 to install the garden. Then for a weekly fee that varies according to the size of the plot, a gardener weeds, tends and harvests the garden, leaving the owner with a week's worth of vegetables."

"There are similar services out there. In Portland, Ore., Portland Organic Gardens installs organic vegetable gardens and does weekly maintenance at a cost of $90 to $130 a week. In Charlotte, Instant Organic Garden has put in 150 gardens in two years."