Cabbages and Compassion Community Supported Homeless Farming Story and photos by Jered Lawson Additional photos by Kate Stafford A year and a half ago, Bill Tracey stood on the comer of Chesnut and Mission clutching a piece of cardboard that read “Homeless and Hungry: will work for food.” Now Bill works with a group of homeless people who take these words literally, growing food not only for themselves, but for the surrounding community as well. In just two years, over forty homeless people, a committed staff, and countless volunteers have turned a 2.5 acre vacant urban lot in Santa Cmz, California into a thriving organic garden. After the gardeners take their portion of the harvest, much of the food goes to community members, or “shareholders”, who support the garden financially. A percentage of the produce is sold to local stores, restaurants, and folks at the farmers’ market. The rest is donated to homeless shelters and free-meal programs. Bill, now project supervisor, says “other homeless projects can give you files, reports and statistics, but we can give you a flat of strawberries.” The Homeless Garden Project offers homeless people an opportunity to move from the margins of society to the center of community activity. For shareholders the project offers a chance to direct their dollars into socially and ecologically responsible farming. As if this weren’t enough, school kids and University students get to learn about the roots of homelessness and the roots of the food they eat. Finally, for many Santa Cruzans, the garden provides solace amidst the sweet smelling herbs, nutritious vegetables, and colorful flowers. The garden offers diverse flora with a mixed crew of gardeners. There’s Peter, a homeless trainee; Darrie, a mother of two; Paddy, a volunteer handyman and gift-giver to the garden; and Phyllis, a vivacious 82 year-old who asserts “I don’t have to die to get to heaven ... this place is heaven on Earth.” Both Mac, a humorous and stately homeless man, and Mike, a “practical idealist” university intern, work with groups of children in the Garden. According to Lynne Basehore, the Project Director, “the garden has been useful to those who simply need to witness life’s abundance. Most of all, it has been a renewal for long-term Neighborhood CSA shareholders plant basil seedlings during the Garden’s Anniversary Party Gathering. Page 2 RAIN Spring 1993 Volume XIV, Number 3
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTc4NTAz