Building community, one garden at a time

From the age of 9 when I planted a tiny bean in an old milk carton filled with dirt and watched in awe as that green shoot sprouted and grew, I have loved the satisfaction of getting my hands dirty and seeing God’s creation come alive.

While I’m not a particularly talented, or even dedicated gardener, over the years I have spent many hours selecting the right plants or seeds, and relished feeling the moist dirt crumble through my fingers as I transplanted marigolds, impatiens, petunias, and mums to big pots on my porch, or hosta, tulips, hyacinths, lilies, and daffodils to my front-yard garden.

In 2004 when my young family and I moved to a rural community in the Shenandoah Valley I began to shop for produce from the local farm markets and discovered just how many varieties of apples and peaches exist. Soon picking our own apples, strawberries, blackberries, peaches, and pumpkins became yearly family traditions, and my kids learned to watch the calendar waiting in anticipation for our favorite time of year – honey crisp apple season!

While I haven’t yet been brave enough to grow my own fruits and vegetables, I’ve seen and tasted the difference in locally-grown, and right-time harvested food. That’s why I’m so excited about this month’s #bloggingforbetter feature organization – We Sow We Grow.

We Sow We Grow is “an award-winning 501c3 organization that focuses on food education, and teaching people around the globe just how much they can grow and learn – without having to leave their homes.”  It was founded by Natasha Nicholes in 2016, starting out as a small community garden plot in West Pullman, Chicago.

While We Sow We Grow’s roots remain very much in Chicago, they have expanded — through the power of social media — to reach a larger audience, offering education and encouragement so that others will feel empowered to start their own gardens. Through their urban farm blog and Facebook page, We Sow We Grow seeks to build community and raise the next generation of agricultural workers.

How can I get involved?

Visit the We Sow We Grow website to learn about ways you can support this organization, or connect with them via Facebook. Who knows, maybe you’ll discover a green thumb you never knew existed!

This blog post was written in partnership with the Blogging for Better Supporters, a collective platform to raise awareness and money for a different charity each month. #bloggingforbetter