Urban gardens are once again sprouting up around Los Angeles. More and more, we’re seeing established LA community gardens have long waiting lists and new community and school gardens are popping up all over town.
People are citing a variety of reasons, from the economy to the environment, from food safety scares (remember the Chinese milk scandal? Or the salmonella-infected peppers from Mexico?) to the fun and fulfillment of getting closer to the earth.
Of course, you don’t have to wait to join a community garden to get your green thumb on. A resurgence of home gardening is in full swing in LA. The last resurgence of gardens in urban spaces came during the 1930’s and 40’s, at which point they were called, “victory gardens“, giving folks cheap and affordable good food during a time when most of the country was focused on looming war and the Depression. Today, and we are seeing a rapidly increasing portion of the population turning to private and public gardens as a means to become more socially and politically involved with food production, nutrition, and agricultural policy. People are once again enjoying the fruits of their labor, not to mention experiencing the difference in taste and quality of produce grown locally, and picked ripe.
Slow Food 2008 San Francisco Victory Garden
Some other local gardening links to enjoy:
-Want to know more about the buy fresh, buy local movement?
-About small farmers in California
-Check my previous post on fantastic farmers’ markets in the Los Angeles Area
-The LA Conservation Corps is plotting and planting gardens all around L.A!
-Want to get certified as a Master Gardener in LA? Hurry! Sign ups for the annual course close 1/15!
Say it!