We first met the Community Services Unlimited folks at the Just Us For Food Justice Bioneers day. They told us we should come check out their work in community gardening in South Central LA. How could we not? These folks are on the front lines of urban gardening in an LA neighborhood most famous for violence. The work they have done transforming empty lots and street abutting school yards into luscious, cornucopias of food and beauty is awe inspiring. They hold weekly workshops at each garden site to get folks involved and to taste goodies from the garden as well as local farmers’ wares. In an area of town where the only food resources tend to be liquor stores and fast food joints, CSU is a welcome addition empowering residents to grow their own and take action for food justice.
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Technorati Tags: community services unlimited, south central los angeles, south LA, urban gardening, urban farming, food justice, ryanishungry
I had a similar experience this year when I visited a farmer’s market. I had no idea spinach actually grows in small bunches, even though it’s one of my favorite foods and I eat it all the time. I also didn’t know it would keep in my refrigerator WEEKS longer than store-bought. It really opened my eyes to how little I know about the foods I’m putting in my body.
Thanks for showcasing programs like this one and giving the rest of us hope and inspiration!
I had the same experience when we started growing broccoli. I’m 34 and had no idea that what we buy in stores was just the flower on a huge plant. So disconnected still we started growing food ourselves.