Very few people — including myself — truly know where food comes from. The next time you take a bite, ask yourself if you know where it comes from, and if you’re like me, you’ll most likely say “Kroger.” Well, the process of growing food goes way beyond the supermarket. When people actually have a hand in producing their own food, it enriches their environmental and agricultural ethics. It also provides them with healthful food, a benefit in a society plagued with obesity.
The reasons mentioned above are why I think Jackson’s first official, public community gardens will have big benefits for the community. Two were planted along Booker Street in the Washington Addition, a historical neighborhood south of Jackson State University (my grad school). They were both planted today. About 30 percent of Jackson lives below the poverty line, and this neighborhood has its share of economically disadvantaged residents.
The lots are 30×80 feet, too narrow for development but perfect for growing some fruits and veggies. Jackson State University is pairing up with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resource Conservation Service to set up the gardens. The lots are owned by JSU, either donated by alumni or a forfeiture property. The seeds are donated, and people loan the equipment used to till the land.
