It is very interesting to watch: for a long time, I've advocated using vacant and abandoned lots in Miami as community gardens. There's a long tradition of gardening for food in cities connecting back to the Depression, which is not so far where we find ourselves today. There's also the issue of Americans become more aware how diets and health are closely connected, and the huge costs of the industrial food supply and farming subsidies that put poor people at greatest risk for disease through diet. (please click, 'read more')
When Michelle Obama, last week, announced the beginning of a vegetable garden at the White House, she gave a huge push forward for community gardens throughout the nation, picking up the cause that began with Alice Waters and the Slow Food movement. 60 Minutes did an outstanding segment recently on Ms. Waters. And you can learn about Slow Food and its Miami group right here.
There has been a rumbling in Miami, to which I've contributed, on the community garden issue for some time. Perhaps the Obama's White House garden moment, combined with the realization by politicians that people will actually need to be growing food in their communities during this severe downturn, is providing some energy at the top of City and County Hall. I'm sensing some change, there.
But here is the thing: water. Water, and shade. Soil quality. Organization. Planning. Funding and Supervision. Our growing season is short, but there is a lot to do to prepare. A system of well-run community gardens would do more for Miami's tattered reputation than all the Chamber of Commerce meetings at Parrot Jungle could achieve. So far, it has been only a few interested participants, some committed and dedicated civic activists in Overtown over the years, some Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden staff, and Slow Food leaders who have made first steps in the direction of community gardens. But the recent effort to start a community garden in Coconut Grove is an example of failure through lack of planning and resources.
What an amazing change it would be, to see five percent of the effort by city and county planners dedicated to the Marlins stadium fiasco re-directed to making a well planned community garden system in Miami, work. That's all it would take. It could happen. Carpe diem.
4 comments:
I tried to do one with a non-profit and church. The land was there, they were side by side neighbors. Got them the grant...enough $ for more materials than they would ever need... and they couldn't perform the grant. They returned the money. :(
That was 10 years ago, a cutting edge moment for the county lost. I never tried to write a grant like that again for anyone. A community garden requires work, and many folks don't want to work at it. Kinda the little red hen syndrome?
Sorry. I have no desire to work on community gardens.
Your comments are right on. It takes a lot more work and coordination than most people think to get community gardens off the ground (or in the ground, as it were).
We've formed a non-profit organization called Green Florida whose mission is to specifically help create community gardens throughout Florida, as well as helping neighborhoods organize in different ways for the transition to a green economy.
Visit our website www.green-florida.org, or call me at 727-643-7189. We're excited to work with communities throughout the state.
Andrea Hildebran
Andrea:
I will note your info. I have an idea. (Just one, it may be the only one I have this year!)
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