Let's bring Food Not Lawns to Vallejo!

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A front yard garden of tree collards and other delights found while walking through West Oakland



Do you remember the last time you took enjoyment out of a lawn? They're a lot of work to tame/maintain, not especially pleasing visually, and are honestly a bit boring. Wouldn't it be cool if you could replace your dead grass with some yummy high-yield leafy greens, fruit trees, and berry bushes? You don't even need to pay money to get rid of the lawn--cover it up with containers or raised beds and forget it exists.

Imagine entire neighborhoods full of life, color, and edible landscaping. This would solve the problem of food deserts (neighborhoods without any grocery stores or with a lack of fresh produce), allow residents to grow their own nutritious vegetables and fruits which will save money on food bills, and utilize space that is already there! You can make new friends anytime someone walks by to admire the sight, develop a good rapport with other grower neighbors with their own varieties of plants, and attract different birds and butterflies to beautify your surroundings. 

It's definitely possible and there are resources if you're not sure where to start. Come visit us at the Vallejo People's Garden and we can give you tips (and sometimes plant starts when we have extra) on creating your own edible garden at home!

Another good resource is John Kohler's Youtube series, Growingyourgreens.com:


-JZC 

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