Along with beets and sardines, my new passion (at least in a future-looking, hopeful kind of way) is gardening. Maybe inspired by the beautiful, lush lawns in Ditmas Park or by the romance of the contemporary back-to-the-land locavore movement, I want to grow my own pumpkins, green beans, and tomatoes, and to be able to say that I grew them in Brooklyn.
Thankfully, the folks at Sustainable Flatbush are thinking the same thing, and last year they got started on a community garden. Turns out demand for a plot is so high that I have to be on a damn waiting list, but that’s fine — I mostly want a chance to get my hands away from the keyboard and buried in some dirt. The way this Ditmas garden is run, you can always get your hands dirty even if you don’t have your own plot. Ah, dirt.
So starting in March, I might get my wish. And yes, I will be wearing my Crocs while gardening.
Now for the big question: what should I grow?
damn you. beets and sardines are also on my list. on the other hand, you’re luck you don’t live above the largest oilspill in America’s history.
Seems like this event might be up your alley: http://pastpresentfuturefood.wordpress.com/. A buddy of mine from library school is one of the organizers.
Hey Josh, I chose *not* to take a plot at the Flatbush CommUNITY Garden this year in order to pursue my personal agenda of growing food in containers!
Hope to bring some folks around to show us how it’s done… a friend of mine grew many pounds of tomatoes in containers on a Vanderveer Place rooftop last year!
Oops, just to be clear… my containers will be at the FCG site. And the point was that even us plot-less folks will be able to grow some food at the Garden.