My family and I have been spoiled living in one of the country's first "agrihoods," which was originally billed as a "conservation" community in the mid-1990s. Prairie Crossing features nearly 700 acres of farmland, open space, pasture and almost 400 homes and condos. We moved there in 1999 to raise our two daughters. Now that we're empty nesters, we still think agrihoods are a great idea to address everything from climate change, food insecurity and retirement living.

Around the corner from our home is a community garden and working farm. Both were intentional design elements of our neighborhood. We were able to buy fresh produce from the local farmers through a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) subscription. Our daughters grew up collecting eggs from our resident hens.

An agrihood is a relatively old concept retooled for the modern era.

An agrihood is a relatively old concept retooled for the modern era. The idea has been perennial in United States history. No less than Thomas Jefferson envisioned an entire country of "gentleman farmers" in his time. Ebenezer Howard proposed "garden cities" that merged agriculture with modern living in the late 19th century. Hundreds of utopian communities sprang up in the 19th century around agricultural communes. Some still are thriving today in Amish and Mennonite communities.

Today agrihoods have emerged as not only health-centered places to live and retire, they address some pressing climate-related and food production issues. Some 175 acres of farm and ranch land are lost every hour in the U.S., according to the Urban Land Institute. Compounding loss of farmland is the escalating global temperature and the huge carbon footprint of modern agriculture: The average piece of produce is shipped 1,500 miles before it reaches your plate. Places where food is grown year-round (think California) are getting hotter, drier and often wetter. And it's also carbon-intensive to ship produce thousands of miles and grow common row crops like corn and soybeans.

The concept of agrihoods is also supported by the increasing number of younger Americans growing their own food. More than 13 million U.S. residents between ages 18 and 34 grew food at home or in community gardens — an increase of 63% from 2008; food gardening–related spending by this group doubled during this period, reaching $1.2 billion in 2013, the Urban Land Institute found. Moreover, there are also a host of positive health and mental benefits for older adults working the land. One Australian study noted that "members of gardening groups reported significantly more social and physical benefits than non-members."

Yet building an environmentally focused housing development around a working farm or community gardens is a relatively fresh concept. There are fewer than 100 agrihoods in the U.S., although several are planned. Today, the guiding benefit is having access to fresh, healthy food, usually organic and produced with regenerative techniques. Instead of relying upon endless row crops of corn and soybeans, local organic farms can concentrate on healthy fruits and vegetables. Emphasis is placed on soil health, little or no chemicals and conservation of water and nutrients. Involving the community is a key component.

Serenbe is an agrihood on steroids. Developed by Steve Nygren, it's a well-conceived Valhalla in a sprawling metropolis. A farm anchors the core of the community. Nestled in the Chattahoochee Hills on the edge of Atlanta, Serenbe opened in 2005 with a 25-acre organic farm producing more than 150-plus varieties of fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers. More than 1,200 people live there now, taking advantage of a local trail system, cultural activities, exercise facilities, stables and ample gardens.

The idea of fresh vegetables in a diverse agrihood appealed to Mary Collins-Shepard and her husband Ken when they moved to Serenbe in January of 2018. They were living on "some acreage outside Knoxville, Tennessee, and didn't expect to move."

Yet when they visited a nephew who had moved to Serenbe, Mary and Ken were impressed with the community, which offered a host of gardening and farming volunteer opportunities. Although Mary, a scientist and botanist, retired from full-time work some 15 years ago, she said she relished the idea of being a "consummate volunteer as a way to get to know people in Serenbe."

"I'm a farm and pollinator garden volunteer and also serve on the landscape committee," she says. "We never wanted to move to a 'retirement' community, but we were impressed with the wide range of ages and backgrounds at Serenbe. We always ate well and grew a lot of our own food, so the organic farm here was a big factor. I think it improves our well-being."

Serenbe is not insulated from the impact of global warming – "it's a lot hotter down here, which makes gardening more challenging," she says. Homes employ geothermal cooling/heating, are Earthcraft certified and many have solar panels. Yet, as the community grows, despite ongoing construction noise, it's completely offset by the regular fruit and vegetable harvests and the overall vibe of the agricultural setting. "The farm is always open to volunteers," she adds. "We always feel welcome."

"It's been super successful and is chock full of smart, implemented ideas," observed Prof. Ellen Dunham-Jones, director of the urban design program at Georgia Tech of Serenbe. "Nygren's continuing to expand it (including senior housing that won't be called that.)"

"Scared of the encroachment of Atlanta's sprawl," Dunham-Jones adds, "Nygren led a successful effort to allow transfer of development rights to hamlets and towns that has enabled 40,000 rural acres south of Atlanta to become agrihoods like Serenbe in between a preserved rural landscape." While Dunham-Jones sees a "shortage of fresh veggies" as a shortcoming of Serenbe, she notes that she "takes my students there all the time."

The increasingly violent and aberrant weather due to global warming poses a threat to the success of agrihoods. While more retirees will be involved in community gardening and farms, more resources will be needed to support them. Still, more people will be living in places that combine working farms and gardens with suburban lifestyles. Knowing how your food is grown – and where – may become more than an appealing marketing pitch.

Even as we contemplate a reduced work-focused life, my wife and I struggle to imagine ourselves living anywhere else that doesn't offer hyperlocal agriculture. Maybe the new relocation motto of this century will augment "live where you work" with "grow (your own food) where you live."