“Odd as I am sure it will appear to some, I can think of no better form of personal involvement in the cure of the environment than that of gardening. A person who is growing a garden, if he is growing it organically, is improving a piece of the world. He is producing something to eat, which makes him somewhat independent of the grocery business, but he is also enlarging, for himself, the meaning of food and the pleasure of eating.” — Wendell Berry
“COVID-19 is a stress test on every aspect of society, from healthcare to the food supply chain. Regions that would typically export wheat or rice are holding onto their crops. The farmers who grow our food in-state are working in overcrowded conditions, and are among the most vulnerable to the pandemic.
“We’re really seeing the fragility of our systems,” says Dr. Rupa Marya, a professor at the University of California, San Francisco’s medical school. She is also an avid gardener.
Planting a garden is “a way to connect to something immediate here and now and watch it grow,” she says. “It’s got a lot of great health benefits. People are outside. They’re getting sun on their skin, generating vitamin D.”
While it’s impossible for me (or you) to grow everything we eat, it’s not a bad time to get started on something. Nurseries that sell seeds, plants and animal feed are open, as an essential service. Now would be a great time to build yourself a COVID Victory Garden. Below are five tips to get started.”
