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Farmers pass on more to their children than their name. They pass on their cultural legacy, in the form of agricultural tradition. Their greatest fortune is the soil they cultivate. By helping their children till this soil and plant seeds, farmers pass along the tips and tricks that their ancestors had left to them. Years later, their children inherit [...] Located in a food desert in the Midwest, The Troostwood Youth Garden is growing fresh food and a community where no one else will. Listen to urban farmer Ericka Wright and youth Jessica Baker discuss Troostwood’s origins, how fresh food can work in the city and the importance of knowing where your food comes from in [...] Farming no longer has to be about fields and barns. Right in middle of an urban district, on a plot of land next to a storefront or parking lot, an urban garden can sprout and bring a new source of food and sense of community. The saying in real-estate is location, location, location, but urban [...] In my first grade class, we were asked to make a poster of what we would wish for if we were granted three wishes. My list didn’t include ponies or mansions, but this: 1) I wish people would stop polluting the oceans. 2) I wish people would stop hunting animals for their fur. 3) I wish [...] Ok. So maybe health pine nut would be a more accurate description. I’m not on the South Beach diet, I don’t train for marathons, nor do I eat protein shakes. But I do stay active, eat my veggies, and get a good night’s sleep what I can. For most of us average health pine nuts, food is [...] Nestled in the yard of a house on a busy street of downtown Kansas City, MO is the Troostwood Youth Garden. Ericka Wright started Troostwood in 1999 with help from neighboring Rockhurst University. Kids from the neighborhood do much of the work in the garden, growing, managing and selling vegetables A to Z. Troostwood has become an important in the community and one of the few places to get fresh vegetables in the area. Because the kids working there learn the value of hard work and dedication as well as an appreciation for where food comes from, Troostwood acts as an outdoor classroom. [...] Blue Door Farm Though located in the bustling heart of Kansas City, Kansas, you can hear the birds singing and the wind rustling through the leaves that shelter Blue Door Farm. A long gravel road winds off of 55th Street to a quintessential country home, framed by shed and barn. The homemade greenhouse that is Blue [...] In her native Thailand, where the weather stays warm all year long, Aye Aye Nu grew cucumbers, peppers, coconuts and bananas. Now, she must clear away rocks, pipes, wires and glass before growing lettuce, tomatoes and a sour Burmese sorrel called chaibong. She sells the produce at local farmers markets, but saves the chaibong for members of her [...] “Poverty-borne problems can be best solved by people within the community where they are found.” The Cross-Lines organization was founded on this principle in 1963 and today provides many services to the community like emergency rent, clothing and food. Now it its third year, the community garden helps connect people with what they’re eating and supplement the food pantry. By providing fresh food and nutrition education to the public, Cross-Lines is helping to combat health issues associated with poverty. [...] Pov Huns grew up in rural Laos, where he learned herbal tips and tricks from his grandfather. Forty-three years later, Pov brings his grandfather’s teachings to urban Kansas City, Ks. From prize lettuce to bitter melon, Pov offers 40 varieties of herbs and vegetables that can be used for cooking everyday meals or curing the common cold. Pov operates his farm with Mother Nature, rather than against her – using weeds as fertilizer and ignoring commonly-held truths of American farming. With unorthodox farming and unique produce, it’s always an adventure out at Huns Garden, 4730 Metropolitan Ave. (www.hunsgarden.com) [...] |
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