Growing For Good

By Marda Kirn:

EcoArts Connections and Suelo Bueno, and with the help of Growing Gardens, are co-creating a program to encourage Boulder County gardeners and growers to grow extra flats of plant starts to distribute to low income families, especially those living at or below the poverty line in Mobile Home/Manufactured Housing Communities (MHCs).

We are especially interested in flats of chiles (serranos, jalapenos, poblanos, habaneros), tomatoes (romas or any hardy big round tomatoes – called “bolas” in Spanish), cilantro, cucumbers, green tomatillos, and strawberries – but other veggies, fruits, and herbs, also welcome (please ask though before growing).

If donating is not possible in these difficult times, we are able to offer $20 a flat toward growers’ materials and time, thanks to a grant from the Boulder County Climate Equity Fund.

For more information, contact Marda Creazzi Kirn at EcoArts Connections: info.ecoarts@gmail.com, 303.359.3811

We are co-inventing this program as we go, so all suggestions (and catchy names) are welcome!! More details will be forthcoming.

At this writing, we anticipate picking up flats from growers in early to Mid-May for distribution through Growing Gardens’ Longmont Farm to MHCs and others in Boulder, Lafayette, and Longmont.  Growing Gardens already grows lots of plant starts for distribution to low income families but the demand has far outstripped their space to grow.

The idea for this program came originally from Andrea Montoya, Suelo Bueno, a champion of diversity, pollinator advocacy, and rewilding urban and suburban spaces.

It’s an idea that could be replicated elsewhere statewide for anyone interested. It’s part of the “wheels on suitcases” approach that EcoArts Connections likes to follow whenever, wherever possible, meaning: looking for what already exists that can be put together in new ways to make life easier, cheaper, and/or more beneficial (and sometimes more fun). For example, how many centuries did we have wheels, how many centuries did we have luggage?  Someone put them together and then now we have wheeled luggage more happily being transported all over flat surfaces worldwide!!

In this case: Growers are already growing. EcoArts Connections, and now Growing Gardens, already have garden programs in MHCs, and other non-profits already give plant starts to other low income folks. Growing Gardens already has a plant give away, distribution, and pick up program. So if we do what we all already do but work together, it will mean more food is possible for MHCs and low income families who really, really, need it even more in these challenging times.

If  you are elsewhere in the state and would like to follow our lead, please do, but please always credit Andrea Montoya/Suelo Bueno for the start of your program. Thanks!  In the words of immortal brilliant improvisational tap dancers, "Steal that step - but make it your own"