((PKG)) COMMUNITY GARDEN
((Banner: Nurturing Plants, Nurturing Self))
((Reporter/Camera: Arturo Martinez))
((Map: Los Angeles, California))
((NATS))
((JOEY WU, VOLUNTEER CO-ORDINATOR, SPRING STREET COMMUNITY GARDEN))
This is the Spring Street Community Garden. It’s meant for the community of downtown L.A. for people to come here and enjoy gardening.
((NATS))
((MERCEDES CRAWFORD, GARDENER, SPRING STREET COMMUNITY GARDEN))
It’s a little sliver of land. You could probably miss it if you drove by, but very bountiful and beautiful now that all of the green space is here. It was barren. It had rocks and that was it.
((NATS))
((MERCEDES CRAWFORD, GARDENER, SPRING STREET COMMUNITY GARDEN))
I come here probably every other day, during the week, after work. I feel secure. I feel this is like a sanctuary and it’s a calming slow place in a fast paced city.
((NATS))
((MERCEDES CRAWFORD, GARDENER, SPRING STREET COMMUNITY GARDEN))
You know, even with the cars moving by, I am kind of in a zone. When I am here, I’m like really trying to get in tune with nature and caring about what I am doing. It just relaxes me to the point where I don’t feel like I am in the middle of the city.
((NATS))
((MERCEDES CRAWFORD, GARDENER, SPRING STREET COMMUNITY GARDEN))
My work environment and this environment are completely opposites. I would say that my work environment is high stress, high maintenance, not so beautiful on the eyes. I work for non-profit organizations that assist the homeless or formerly homeless here on Skid Row.
((NATS))
((MERCEDES CRAWFORD, GARDENER, SPRING STREET COMMUNITY GARDEN))
How are you doing, Wendell? I just came to get some resources from you, to talk about what is available in the community.
((NATS))
((MERCEDES CRAWFORD, GARDENER, SPRING STREET COMMUNITY GARDEN))
It’s very stressful. There is different interactions happening daily, sometimes violence. Just in general a lot of paperwork. So, at the end of the day, I’m pretty exhausted.
((NATS))
Mercedes: And how do you know when this is ready to harvest.
Gardener: After it flowers.
Mercedes: When it makes the flower?
((NATS))
((MERCEDES CRAWFORD, GARDENER, SPRING STREET COMMUNITY GARDEN))
This environment is completely relaxing, very beautiful and aesthetically pleasing, absolutely opposites and it’s helpful to have those two opposites, you know. I love helping people and I love gardening and they give me the two things that I need.
((NATS))
((MERCEDES CRAWFORD, GARDENER, SPRING STREET COMMUNITY GARDEN))
I think there is definitely a lack of green spaces in the city areas. Parks are needed. All green spaces are needed, especially gardening, just because of all the health benefits. You know, healthy eating, exercise. It lowers the risk of dementia in people over 60 years old. There’s been studies done on that. The socialization that happens, it’s probably the only other time some elderly people can socialize. It creates community.
((NATS))
((MERCEDES CRAWFORD, GARDENER, SPRING STREET COMMUNITY GARDEN))
Hi there! Are you coming in? Would you like to visit? Sure, ok, come on in.
Hi Adam, I’m Mercedes. Joey can speak to that, how it works here.
((JOEY WU, VOLUNTEER CO-ORDINATOR, SPRING STREET COMMUNITY GARDEN))
Right now, there are 36 garden beds here setup. Each family gets to operate one bed. They get to manage their own bed, plant whatever they want to: vegetables, fruits, herbs, whatever it is.
((NATS))
(((JOEY WU, VOLUNTEER CO-ORDINATOR, SPRING STREET COMMUNITY GARDEN))
Definitely a good place to socialize and because I work freelance, I don’t get to have co-workers, and so being here at least I get to hang out with some of my fellow gardener friends, you know.
((MERCEDES CRAWFORD, GARDENER, SPRING STREET COMMUNITY GARDEN))
Coming up this weekend, we’ll be having our annual harvest party and I harvested the remaining tomatoes from this plant, some chili peppers that were on this plant and I’m going to make salsa with the garlic that I planted earlier this year and the onions from this year.
((NATS))
((GARDENER))
I want to welcome everybody to our harvest feast, another fabulous meal that we cooked together.
((GARDENER))
We had so many tomatoes this year. It was kind of crazy. I had bowls and bowls of tomatoes in my kitchen.
((GARDENER))
I’m trying to figure out what I’m going to grow this fall.
((GARDENER))
I think I have strawberries in there, jalapeños or serranos. I want to do lots of herbs.
((GARDENER))
I brought the donuts, the only unhealthy food. I’m bed 32, which is empty.
((GARDENER))
I’m new. Today is my official day.
((GARDENER))
So that’s three weeks. So, you can do anywhere from two days to 30 days, and the longer it goes, the more vinegary it will get.
((NATS))
((MERCEDES CRAWFORD, GARDENER, SPRING STREET COMMUNITY GARDEN))
Plants are slow when they grow and so you literally have to slow down to their level. You are not going to rush it to grow. You can’t say, ok plant, it’s time to grow. It’s not going to grow. So you need patience which then makes you calm down because you need to tend to it and you need to relax more.
((NATS))
