As I learn more about sustainability and minimizing my personal impact on the planet, I’m discovering there are alot of things I can do that I never even realized.  Living in an apartment in the middle of Los Angeles, it’s hard to imagine growing  your own food, but why not try?  Our LA weather is perfect for growing a variety of fruits and veggies year round.  Growing your own food 100% ensures the quality of the food, because you know that you don’t use harmful pesticides and chemicals.  How cool would it feel to not only serve a delicious dinner to your friends and fam, but to also know you are responsible for growing it?  All this sounds great but for the apartment dweller space can be an issue, and we often don’t have our own plot of land.

Simple problem, simple solution as I have recently learned…sign up for a community garden.

A community garden is a plot of land that you lease for a small fee (e.g. in Santa Monica it is $60 per year). Plot size can range, but usually you can find one that’s 10’ X 10’, ample room to watch your food grow.

Community Gardens are spread around most of the Los Angeles area in 70 different communities. I have only recently become hip to them, but you can find them in Santa Monica, West Hollywood, Echo Park, Long Beach, West Hills, Boyle Heights, Culver City. Not only is joining a garden a great way to grow your own organic food, you’ll meet your neighbors and get a satisfying, full body workout with the sun on your shoulders (don’t forget the SPF!).

For more information check out these links:

www.lagardencouncil.org
www.laparks.org/dos/horticulture/horticulture.htm
Los Angeles Times Article (link)

Any one out there a member of a community garden?  Share you experiences with us under Thread With US!