This is kale.
A dark green, leafy vegetable packed with fiber, vitamins and minerals.
A super-food loved by just about everyone these days.
A crop that is an essential part of an urban community garden in the middle of the Bronx in NYC.
Yesterday, my friend E and I went on a whirlwind tour of three urban gardens in the Bronx. She was doing it for work, while I was just tagging along. It was an eye-opening experience for me, since I really never saw community gardens like this before. It was pretty soggy outside, which made for an authentic mud-in-shoes, being-a-part-of-the-land experience.
The first garden we went to was on a corner lot behind an elementary school. What is so incredible about this garden is that the kids actually have the opportunity to come and work in the earth and grow food. They learn not only how to plant fruits and vegetables, but they also get to try the different produce at the peak of freshness.
Like kale.
And broccoli!
Who knew that broccoli grew like this?! I didn’t.
And little cabbages…
How precious (and delicious!).
I was able to chat with the farmer in charge, a wonderful woman (and self-proclaimed “street mom”) who wants to provide better food options for the next generation and wants to create a space to help teenagers stay off the streets. Hearing her talk was inspirational and demonstrated that these gardens feed not only the bodies of the community members, but their souls as well. It showed that these gardens are an important part in the fabric of the Bronx and they should be preserved for future generations to enjoy and utilize.
This theme about creating a safe haven and how the garden is an integral part of the community was repeated and reinforced at each of the other two gardens that we looked at. The gardens were opened to all, but many head gardeners focused on creating a space where kids and seniors had a safe outdoor retreat where they can relax, garden, and be at peace. If the community respected the garden, the garden would give back to the community.
It was a wonderful experience learning about the importance of urban gardening in the Bronx (or anywhere, for that matter!). I met some amazing gardeners and saw some spectacular outdoor areas. But most importantly, I found that urban gardening is an essential part of the Bronx. It provides families with affordable, healthy food – one plot costs $30 per year and can feed a family of 4 very well during the growing season. It gives kids and seniors a safe place to spend their days outside in nature – one farm actually runs a little summer camp where kids actually come and work in the garden. It allows the community to come together and provide not only for themselves but their neighbors as well.
The urban gardening movement in the Bronx is about creating an opportunity for a community to come together, share in the growth and production of nutritious food, and become a stronger, more cohesive unit.
What a wonderful way to spend a Saturday.
Your friend who firmly believes in the Urban Gardening Movement,
C
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