The Farm in the City community garden coming to Nashville, Tennessee
Photo by Gloria
The Farm in the City
By Gloria
Turning Toward the Sun blog
April 1, 2010
Excerpt:
The Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency, which oversees Nashville’s public housing for low-income families, is developing a community garden near the new John Henry Hale Apartments on Jo Johnston Ave. near downtown Nashville, about a ten-minute drive from my house. MDHA has commandeered an unused plot of public land just north of I-40 and is turning it into a gardening oasis for nearby residents, or for anyone who wants to buy in for $5. This afternoon there was a meeting at the neighborhood’s community center for organizers and potential gardeners, where they showed the plan and explained the rules. I bought in.
They call the project “The Farm in the City,” and in fact, what we urban farmers will see when we look up from digging and planting is the Nashville skyline. It’s an ambitious project. Phase I of the plan calls for 37 individual garden beds, some 4’x4’, some are 4’x7? and the largest are 4’x17?, and it includes one raised bed built to be accessible to disabled gardeners. There will be a big compost bin and a storage shed. It will be completely fenced in, and there will be a parking area. Water spigots have already been installed. Future plans call for a seating area and a big herb garden.
3 comments
Hi, I am interested in participating in this project but just found out about it on the local TV news today. Is it still possible to participate? Thanks! 614-477-1406
A limited number of spaces are available for the 2011 season. Nashvillians interested in participating may contact MDHA at 615-252-3667 ext. 115
I wanted to submit a letter of gratitude to MDHA, The Rotary Club, Mayor Dean and the community for the expansion of community garden space and particularly the recent expansion on Joe Johnson over the weekend. I was asked to give a short speech before the mayor spoke and had little time to prepare.
After a morning of brutal rain and sweltering hot conditions working in the sun, I had little left to speak coherently on my thoughts. I found myself fumbling over my words in front of volunteers, the media and city workers in an attempt to verbalize my gratitude for the expansion of community gardening programs city-wide, I felt it was necessary to pen a more deserving speech for the occasion:
Today I am proud of both my community and my city. With the help of grant money from the Rotary club we have come together as volunteers to construct 20 new raised bed gardens, compost bins and a shade building for all to enjoy and use. I cannot think of a better use of public hand and available resources in this city. In the face of rabid consumerism, the fragility of the global supply chain, and the questionable practices of production and distribution by the industrial food complex we as a community have said, “We can do it better.”
This demand for public growing space lessens our dependence on strawberries from Chile, Apples from New Zealand and the associated costs of fuel to ship these products and well as the packaging and preservatives needed to keep it fresh. We have shown that we can supply for ourselves and lessen our dependence on others. With our cooperation, the day of the 3,000 mile toss salad is nearing its end.
I thank the leadership of the city and all that participate in this program for properly addressing the problem of food deserts, inflation and the fear associated with constant recalls on unsafe food by providing public space where the people can learn to fish for themselves.
I hope that more people, particularly younger generations, discover the problems we face and realize the most immediate remedy in part is growing our own food and with that skill, obtain a modicum of self-sufficiency. I ask that the city and mayor for continued support to provide public space for the purpose of growing food and that this program be expanded city-wide. It’s a truly gratifying activity that promotes health, wellness, and the strengthening of our communities.
Matt Ames
Farm in the City Nashville
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