Health knowledge made personal
 These were all just thoughts as I didn't have any winter wheat seeds and the economy is such that buying a $250 machine is not an option for me right now. But the idea of 100' rows, of using more urban farming strategies in my home garden to maximize space and boost production? "Now this, I can do," I thought to myself (especially since I was called "The Farmer" in O: The Oprah's Magazine's November issue, a title I like so much that I've decided to volunteer at this urban farm , which donates 100% to those in need, in order to increase my urban farming skills). I already have about 16 or 18 beds (not raised, all different sizes). I have been gardening organically out there for 10 years now, since the towers fell. My wheat paths have fertile, composted soil underneath as a result, and I grew a terrific crop of potatoes this past spring right in one path. So I grabbed my beloved stirrup hoe and started scratching on the borders of the beds, right into the paths, connecting them bed-to-bed to make long rows. And while I was doing this, I kept thinking of a man's words that I read yesterday, a man named John Heneghan. John ran for city council when my city was formed almost three years ago and garnered something like 87% of the vote, he is up for re-election on November 8, and he is the only candidate running unopposed. His philosophy, pure and simple , is that he believes if he has the ability make a difference, he has the responsibility to do so.  John is the one who went to the Atlanta Regional Commission's (ARC) Green Communities workshop with me and who spearheaded the creation of my city's sustainability commission, which started operating just two weeks after the city launched so that policies could be environmentally-responsible from the get-go. I featured John in my national Urban Farm magazine article about creating sustainable cities . (FYI, my city is presenting at this year's ARC workshop to encourage other cities to do this as well--I'm not sure what the city is going to say, but here are my tips for you ). Anyway, John was recently asked by the local media what the biggest problem facing our city is, and in his answer, he talked about the mess that traffic causes here and said that since he is committed to not widening roads, "We need to work on the edges." Things like traffic engineering solutions to reduce the choke-holds at the intersections, modifying the schools schedules, and finding other ways to reduce the overall volume. He has been a major advocate of pedestrian and biking infrastructure improvements to encourage alternative transportation.As I hoed, finding Jerusalem artichokes and ground cherries and yet more zucchinis growing, I thought about those words. We need to work on the edges. We need to work on the edges. I thought of people I know who are working on the edges in so many different ways: * The man whose efforts to host a sustainability forum in our city for candidates was derailed until a 17-year-old high school student stepped forward and led the charge to have it held at a school, co-hosted by my city's youth (please remember this name--Danny Kanso--the kid's on fire and is clearly going places-- my friend, Bob, gave him a shout-out here --he brings a maturity to every conversation that transcends the actions of those far older than he is).  I noticed yesterday that potatoes are growing in my Grow Bag. I hadn't planted them. They must have been leftover from spring, when I first tested these bags (FYI, the ones in the paths did better than the ones in these bags, but it may just be a matter of getting the soil right). I hadn't seen them there, on the edges. I hadn't realized that they were quietly growing, a little bit stronger each day. Like everyone working on the edges. Like you. See "One Change Begets Another" on pages 12-13, "Your Life Is an Occasion. Rise to It" on page 19 (followed by the recipe for Mama Bread, of course) and "Fertile Paths" on pages 34-35 in my book . |
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