My first "garden" was a five gallon bucket precariously balanced on a ledge outside my third story apartment window in a very urban supposedly "artsy" neighborhood in the west end of Providence. The district promised to become the "it" spot. The bucket contained one glorious sunflower. Mostly what I saw growing was trash. Occasionally I could hear my neighbor's illegal rooster. Sometimes I would see storyteller Len Cabral walking down the street. (We later met through our church.) The word "community" was tossed around a lot, but I did not see much forward motion in the 13 months I lived there.
Later, I lived for seven years in another urban neighborhood and my tiny back yard became what my friends called the "Providence Oasis", full of flowers and herbs, buzzing with blue and purple bees, bedecked with huge black and yellow "Charlotte's Web" spiders, and mantids hiding on the leaves. It wasn't enough sun to properly grow vegetables, but we had fresh and dried herbs in large supply.
Today, I have the luxury of a 1/4 acre and lots of sun. We grow many foods, can, dry, and freeze them, and donate bumper crops through AmpleHarvest.org. Now the news and media have spread the word about the importance of local food for our health, the health of our planet, and the economy. We that agree with them don't have to hide. I'm excited to use my new mesh produce bags next time I shop, hoping like reusable shopping bags, they become the norm over plastic. Plus, I want to shop less at chains but want the convenience of them. Farms and farmers' markets are one of the few growing businesses in Rhode Island. And it's not just the artists and hippies who frequent them. Nor is it only the upper classes buying organic.
While there are local groceries that buy locally, now there will be a grocery that provides only local and sustainable foods. I was at the opening of this new and long-awaited site, recently opened by the West Broadway Neighborhood Association. As I drove down the street I used to take to that apartment with the one defiant sunflower, I saw three community gardens. I talked with people there: home gardeners, parents with young children, older folk, all looking forward to getting healthy food locally and sustainably. With funding efforts underway, The Fertile Underground hopes to open this June. They've been running the Pearl Street community garden for three years, which will supply the "store brand" for the grocery. They will also be creating a garden in the back, a cafe with sustainable coffee, and "pick your own herbs." They've established relationships with local farmers and dairies to stock the store and are open to more local vendors. The store currently is walled with local art. When I told them about my cookbook using local foods, they were very interested. (A book release there may be in the works...)
A grocery with all local and sustainable foods has been a long time in coming. I think this could be a very good thing. But don't take my word for it. Go check out their location at 1577 Westminster Street, Providence RI 02909 and follow their progress at Kick Starter.
Later, I lived for seven years in another urban neighborhood and my tiny back yard became what my friends called the "Providence Oasis", full of flowers and herbs, buzzing with blue and purple bees, bedecked with huge black and yellow "Charlotte's Web" spiders, and mantids hiding on the leaves. It wasn't enough sun to properly grow vegetables, but we had fresh and dried herbs in large supply.
Today, I have the luxury of a 1/4 acre and lots of sun. We grow many foods, can, dry, and freeze them, and donate bumper crops through AmpleHarvest.org. Now the news and media have spread the word about the importance of local food for our health, the health of our planet, and the economy. We that agree with them don't have to hide. I'm excited to use my new mesh produce bags next time I shop, hoping like reusable shopping bags, they become the norm over plastic. Plus, I want to shop less at chains but want the convenience of them. Farms and farmers' markets are one of the few growing businesses in Rhode Island. And it's not just the artists and hippies who frequent them. Nor is it only the upper classes buying organic.
While there are local groceries that buy locally, now there will be a grocery that provides only local and sustainable foods. I was at the opening of this new and long-awaited site, recently opened by the West Broadway Neighborhood Association. As I drove down the street I used to take to that apartment with the one defiant sunflower, I saw three community gardens. I talked with people there: home gardeners, parents with young children, older folk, all looking forward to getting healthy food locally and sustainably. With funding efforts underway, The Fertile Underground hopes to open this June. They've been running the Pearl Street community garden for three years, which will supply the "store brand" for the grocery. They will also be creating a garden in the back, a cafe with sustainable coffee, and "pick your own herbs." They've established relationships with local farmers and dairies to stock the store and are open to more local vendors. The store currently is walled with local art. When I told them about my cookbook using local foods, they were very interested. (A book release there may be in the works...)
A grocery with all local and sustainable foods has been a long time in coming. I think this could be a very good thing. But don't take my word for it. Go check out their location at 1577 Westminster Street, Providence RI 02909 and follow their progress at Kick Starter.
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