Concerned Citizens

Today I was having a conversation with a co-worker about some interesting things and the subject of community gardens came up. He’s a member of Gateway Church in San Antonio where they have established their own community garden behind the church. Apparently they are zoned in such a way they can raise poultry and possibly even a couple of milk cows. They also raise fruits and vegetables to provide for members and some of the staff of the church. It’s just another great example of a growing trend in community gardening and locavores where people are starting to redevelop the art of farming and growing food locally. So what’s stopping more people from joining this movement and is it a good thing?

Earlier today NPR had a great conversation called “Sizing Up Sustainable Food” on Talk of the Nation – Science Friday. On the program two experts debated the value and risks of raising food locally. One of the benefits of locavores is the fact that it can reduce the carbon footprint by producing food locally. Production of food locally can help improve the quality of the food since the producer of the crops is also the consumer. If you really want good food you’re going to work harder to improve the quality of the food produced. It also helps increase utilization of land areas that typically are becoming overriden with weeds and garbage.

Regarding Gateway Church, they are hosting a screening of the film “Fresh” this Saturday from 6 – 8 p.m. along with a tour of their community garden operations. The film focuses on the efforts of several key individuals throughout America who are promoting community gardens. One, former NBA player Will Allen, built a community garden effort in Wisconsin called Growing Power that has facilitated several community gardens in Milwaukee and Chicago. The first project in Chicago was in the infamous Cabrini-Green housing project. Working in conjunction with Fourth Presbyterian Church the project was able to turn an overgrown and unused basketball court into a thriving garden on  top of the concrete courts. Growing Power provides tools, materials and education for the individuals who sign up for individual plots in the community garden.

Community gardens are not a new concept to San Antonio. The Green Space Alliance has helped establish 19 different community gardens throughout the San Antonio area. The Alliance, through their community garden network, provide resources to potential gardeners including education and training. It’s a great way to get “back to the earth” and start growing your own food. During the conversation with the co-worker he pointed out that many of us have lost the skills of gardening by a full generation through our urbanization and convenience culture. Community gardens are a great way to recover that skill and help pass it along to our children and successive generations. Besides, if you think about all the unused or overgrown lots in San Antonio just imagine the value that could be produced. With regards to water, San Antonio should promote the use of acceptable reclaimed waste water as a source for irrigation.

Even if you don’t have the green thumb and are ready to join in the community garden crew another way to “think globally and act locally” is to take advantage of the Farmer’s Markets that have sprung up throughout San Antonio. One of the bigger ones that continues to grow is the Pearl Brewery Farmer’s Market held every Saturday morning on the back lot of the Pearl Brewery. Support of a Farmer’s Market increases the local production of food and helps farmers in South Texas who have decided to produce fruit and vegetables locally. It’s a great local stimulus of the economy and helps provide the same benefits of a community garden.

So maybe it’s time for us to head out to the local garden center and stock up on trowels, hoes and those ugly floppy hats my mom use to wear during the summer. Why? To quote the famous line from Steel Magnolias “Because that’s what Southern women do – we wear funny hats and grow things in the dirt.”