Free Food Garden at Arroyo Food Co-op
About a year ago, I went to the Arroyo Food Co-op for the first time as a brand new member/owner. I noticed an unused strip of land along the west side of the building. It was a forgettable spot with some scraggly grass, bougainvilleas and a few shrubs. You’d never notice it walking by.
Today, you can’t miss it. California native plants grow in the parkway. Fruit trees donated by Tree People promise a harvest all year round — a summer-fruiting apricot, a winter/spring-fruiting Pixie Mandarin tangerine and a fall-fruiting Fuyu Persimmon.
A meandering path in the shape of a snake is slowly taking shape, thanks to reclaimed concrete and the strong backs of volunteers. A table and benches, crafted from discarded pallets, has turned an unused edge into a gathering place. An irrigation system is in progress. Coming soon: vegetables.
Two days a week, sometimes more, people gather to chat a little, work a little, eat a little. Neighbors are getting to know neighbors, learning how to garden, getting some exercise, and relaxing into a whole new way of relating to nature and each other. “A free food garden, you say? Free? Why?”
How did it happen? Before it was a gathering place for people, that humble strip of land was a gathering place for some powerful ideas. Placemaking — a movement intent on “activating” public spaces to bring people together to improve the local quality of life. Permaculture — a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature, capturing available energy (not only sun and water, but the enthusiasm of people). The Transition movement — dedicated to building joyful, self-reliant, local communities.
And there’s the Arroyo Food Co-op, willing to take a chance on a project that had a start-up budget of exactly zero dollars.
There’s a long, long list of those who make this garden possible. If you want the whole story — or some free fruits and vegetables (still from volunteers’ yards, mostly) or the chance to make new friends — come on by!
— Sylvia Holmes
Free Food Garden at Arroyo Food Co-op
494 N. Wilson Ave., Pasadena
This project is co-sponsored by Transition Pasadena and the Arroyo Food Co-op. If you would like weekly updates by email or for more information, email Sylvia Holmes.
Time bank members earn time dollars. Sign up for a free membership at: www.asntb.com
Links:
Gardening in Public Spaces, Free Food Garden at Arroyo Food Co-op
Photo by Sylvia Holmes
Today, you can’t miss it. California native plants grow in the parkway. Fruit trees donated by Tree People promise a harvest all year round — a summer-fruiting apricot, a winter/spring-fruiting Pixie Mandarin tangerine and a fall-fruiting Fuyu Persimmon.
A meandering path in the shape of a snake is slowly taking shape, thanks to reclaimed concrete and the strong backs of volunteers. A table and benches, crafted from discarded pallets, has turned an unused edge into a gathering place. An irrigation system is in progress. Coming soon: vegetables.
Two days a week, sometimes more, people gather to chat a little, work a little, eat a little. Neighbors are getting to know neighbors, learning how to garden, getting some exercise, and relaxing into a whole new way of relating to nature and each other. “A free food garden, you say? Free? Why?”
How did it happen? Before it was a gathering place for people, that humble strip of land was a gathering place for some powerful ideas. Placemaking — a movement intent on “activating” public spaces to bring people together to improve the local quality of life. Permaculture — a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature, capturing available energy (not only sun and water, but the enthusiasm of people). The Transition movement — dedicated to building joyful, self-reliant, local communities.
And there’s the Arroyo Food Co-op, willing to take a chance on a project that had a start-up budget of exactly zero dollars.
There’s a long, long list of those who make this garden possible. If you want the whole story — or some free fruits and vegetables (still from volunteers’ yards, mostly) or the chance to make new friends — come on by!
— Sylvia Holmes
Free Food Garden at Arroyo Food Co-op
494 N. Wilson Ave., Pasadena
This project is co-sponsored by Transition Pasadena and the Arroyo Food Co-op. If you would like weekly updates by email or for more information, email Sylvia Holmes.
Time bank members earn time dollars. Sign up for a free membership at: www.asntb.com
Links:
Gardening in Public Spaces, Free Food Garden at Arroyo Food Co-op
Photo by Sylvia Holmes
