URBAN AGRICULTURE AND CULTURAL POLITICS AT THE PHOENIX INDIAN SCHOOL SITE

May 29, 2014December 29, 2017 Chelsea Patchen

Agriculture at the Phoenix Indian School site has had a long history, from the ancient Hohokam canal running through the site, to farming programs at the Phoenix Indian School, and to the most recent incarnation at the PHX Renews site. Examining the history and land use of this one site over time reveals interesting tensions in land appropriation, our relations to food in the city, and cultural politics. This project is an open-ended narrative seeking to begin unraveling the history of this site as well as its future while bringing to light the social and political contestations embedded within.

: Map of Prehistoric Irrigation Canals

: Close-up of Phoenix Indian School and Hohokam Canal

: Panorama of the Phoenix Indian School

: Female Students Gardening

: Male Students Gardening

: Feeding Calves

: Gathering food supplies from the barn

: Prize Cow

: Students and farm animals

: Students at the sorting table

: Students digging up a tree

: Students feeding turkeys

: Students with cows

: Students feeding the chickens and ducks

: Students hauling hay and feeding livestock

: Students harvesting carrots

: Inscriptions

: Inscriptions

: Inscriptions

: The future PHX Renews site

: Image from Central Ave. of the PHX Renews site with community gardens, art, and ASU UNM Solar house

: Overview of PHX Renews with the International Rescue Committee plot in the foreground

: International Rescue Committee Plot

: Community garden beds on Central Ave.

: Community garden beds on Central Ave. and urban farmers

: Refugee woman showing family the International Rescue Committee plot

: Painting a garden bed

: Man watering his garden bed

: International Rescue Committee gardener showing carrots from the garden

: International Rescue Committee gardener among the flowers with harvest

: St. Mary’s Food Bank volunteers planting in a garden bed

: St. Mary’s Food Bank volunteers planting in a garden bed

: Mother and Daughter watering garden bed

: International Rescue Committee gardeners working the soil

: Father and son planting in International Rescue committee plot

: Gardeners planting in the International Rescue Committee plot

: Art panels installed along the fence at PHX Renews

: Painted Benches at PHX Renews

: Plants growing at PHX Renews

: Humorous and artistic touches to garden beds at PHX Renews

: Girl Scouts-Heard Museum

: Students leaving the dining hall- Heard Museum

About Chelsea Patchen

Chelsea was born in Washington State, but has called Arizona home for most of her life. She got her BA in Geography from Arizona State University and is currently a PhD student in Geography at the same institution. She is interested in urban political ecology, sensing urban natures, and art. She is currently researching how art events can lead the public to see their relations to urban nature and infrastructure in new ways.

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