Philosophies

Don't just buy local, grow local.

Steel City Soils LLC, is dedicated to local, urban agriculture.  We believe that urban agriculture has the potential to provide a large portion of our daily diets with healthy food.  The trick is getting people to change the way they think about food, friendships, economy and environment.

Our mission is to foster interest in urban farming, and create a platform for farms to get started and develop in Pittsburgh.  In order to accomplish this task, we provide a forum for farmers to connect, hands-on education and training, and access to labor and supplies.

Our vision is of a network of farmers, suppliers, and consumers that will work together to produce a subtantial portion of our diet.  With plenty of urban farms distributed throughout the city, many families can have access to a secure and nutritious food source and the skills to maintain it for decades to come.

 

Sustainable.

In sustainable farming, local nutrient cycles can return nutrients to the soil instead of the landfill.  To complete the cycle, not only does food need to be grown organically, but the waste must be recycled back to the earth through composting.  Once soil biology is stabilized over a few growing seasons, the soil will need less organic material inputs to support plant growth.

 

Biological.

The health of our entire environment depends on the interplay between thousands of inputs and outputs.  Because of this, soil, microbes, bugs, animals, native trees, grasses, wildflowers, and fruit bearing plants are all essential to our city environment.

 

Economical.

As energy prices continue to rise and our current food system begins to strain, it becomes imperative that city residents have the resources available to grow local food.  During hard economic times, the difference in a family's health can be as small as a successful backyard veggie patch.