- Food What?! Youth Dig In
A big reason why more of us don’t buy organic food is because of the price. Of course, growing your own sustainable garden is an inexpensive option. The National Gardening Association’s recent study “The Impact of Home and Community Gardening in America” cites that a well-maintained food garden can yield an estimated 1/2 pound of produce per square foot of garden area over the course of the growing season. At in-season market prices, this produce is worth $2.00 a pound. That means the average 600 square-foot garden that costs an average of $70 can produce an estimated 300 pounds of fresh produce worth $600!
This is great news for those of us who have yard space for a garden, but many of us don’t. And while container gardening is an option, patio space — and the amount of sun exposure it gets — might limit the bounty to just a few plants.
Thanks to the resurgence of community gardens, sustainable food is becoming accessible to those who don’t have the space to grow their own or simply can’t afford it.
We’re excited and proud to announce the ground breaking of one in our town — the Aptos Community Garden. Hosted by Christ Lutheran Church, a bunch of volunteers are donating their time and money to make it a reality. Trent and I will sit on the Board, donate the starts, and document its progress.
But we’re not doing write-ups to toot our horn. By telling the story as it unfolds, we hope it inspires every community in America to roll one out, too — at a school or somewhere in the neighborhood. Why? Other than enabling the satisfying experience of growing and harvesting fresh food, community and school gardens encourages healthier eating habits. It brings our neighborhoods together and reconnects us to the source of our food — nature itself. It also encourages environmental stewardship, self-reliance and confidence in the safety of our food. According to the American Community Garden Association, it can even reduce crime!
We live in Santa Cruz County; if you don’t know, we’re very big on environmental issues and natural foods. I have to point out a few great local programs that are community gardens, but not in the traditional sense. Food What? educates youth and is driven by our friends at Life Lab. The second is the Homeless Garden Project, an amazing nonprofit organization that gives purpose and financial support to those less fortunate. These are a few innovative examples of the power of community gardens; consider these aspects when building yours. How can we get our youth involved? How can we give back?
I did some research on the history of community gardens. The study I found cited their importance during and after both World Wars, providing increased food supplies which required minimal transporting. During the Great Depression, city lands were made available to the unemployed and impoverished by the Work Projects Administration (WPA); nearly 5,000 gardens on 700 acres were cultivated in New York City alone through this program. During WWII, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported that national health as well as personal well-being were dependent on the consumption of fresh vegetables, which led to the Victory Gardens Program and the production of approximately 40% of the fresh vegetables consumed in the U.S. from an estimated 20 million gardens.
WHAT?! Did I read this correctly? What happened to us? Now, our food travels an average 1,500 miles. Only 1 out of five fresh fruits and vegetables are grown in the Unites States. And NO U.S. state is meeting national objectives for consumption of two fruits and three vegetables a day.
I guess we shouldn’t be surprised that Americans are battling obesity and Type II diabetes at an alarming rate. Did you know that 1 out of 3 kids in the US are considered overweight or obese? Folks, these health risks are caused by poor dietary patterns and sedentary lifestyles. In other words, they are reversible.
Ah, yet another benefit of gardening — physical exercise. How many calories can we burn? I just went to Internet Fitness and found out that personally, I can burn 307 calories an hour doing general gardening activities!
Readers, I hope you’re motivated to get a garden going — at home, at your kids’ school, or in your community. Do it for your health and that of your family, community and planet! And if you need help, check out how we did it here in Aptos.
Tags: food, Homeless Garden Project, Life Lab, National Gardening Association, organic, organic growing, Santa Cruz, sustainable
[...] We’ve written about the need for, and fascinating history of, community gardens. During WWII, the USDA reported that national health, as well as personal well-being were dependent on the consumption of fresh vegetables. The Victory Gardens Program was born, producing approximately 40% of the fresh vegetables consumed in the U.S. from an estimated 20 million gardens. It seems the state of our nation’s health has never been worse, so it makes sense that there is a gardening resurgence. [...]