Now that my family has land that we may use for a while, we are growing our own food... and enough for many other families, it seems. One $1.07 packet of radish seeds planted in May is already many pounds of crisp, bright, beautiful, healthy fresh veggies... and eating my first fresh radish of my life taught me radishes are actually delicious. Same for Kale, and all the varieties of lettuce covering our farmland... really fresh pesto is to die for... can't wait for the carrots and shallots!
The other day, Evelyn and I took some lettuce, radishes and herbs to my parents, and we talked about urban farming we have planned for the Star Neighborhood, and how much better is fresh local food than the food-like imported facsimilie at the grocery stores, and both my mom and dad reflected back to their childhoods, when their families had victory gardens, and my dad's uncle farmed over 1,000 acres near Toledo. This took them home, from where we Americans never should have left in the first place.
As I reflect upon eating the best food of my life for nearly free, and global warming, and the future of urban farming, and the prospect of healthy futures for humans and our Earth's ecosystem, I wonder what it will take for Americans to embrace growing food for their families and communities... when will we as people redefine "Victory" and "Garden"? When will cities plant public food in public places, and when will acres of suburban chemlawns be cause for embarrassment and legislation rather than prestige? Perhaps after more people experience real food for their first times, and choose to accept no less. Or must we wait until more common people die from poor environmental stewardship, and more common people may no longer afford to buy imported food, and we must choose between Soylent Green and really being green!
Do you yet see any sincere, substantive changes in our NEO culture leading toward growing an independent green republic of NEO? Lots of veggies growing in your neighborhood? May you pick strawberries in any of our parks? How is your Victory Garden doing?
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Radishes650.jpg [1] | 332.61 KB |
MetzenbaumFarmsPanLogo.jpg [2] | 39.26 KB |
CoitCommunityGardenPanLogo.jpg [3] | 56.96 KB |
Links:
[1] http://realneo.us/system/files/Radishes650.jpg
[2] http://realneo.us/system/files/MetzenbaumFarmsPanLogo.jpg
[3] http://realneo.us/system/files/CoitCommunityGardenPanLogo.jpg
[4] http://realneo.us/content/first-chickens-east-cleveland-while
[5] http://realneo.us/How-are-you-greening-your-republic
[6] http://realneo.us/content/question-day-what-does-sustainable-cleveland-2009-look-today