Justice Gardens

Sixty-Five years ago our country was short of food.  In the spring of 1943, nearly 20 million families sowed seeds and prayed for a good harvest.  They were answering a call from the US government that encouraged Americans to grow their own food during this time of crisis.  And they did.  Backyards, empty lots, and city rooftops were turned into “Victory Gardens” producing almost 10 million tons of food.   The economics of this venture resulted in the price of commercially produced fresh vegetables dropping substantially, enabling the government to save money on the food they spent feeding the troops, which bolstered the war effort, and ultimately saved lives on the front.

Today, we are on the brink of a global food crisis. The price of rice has nearly doubled in past four months. The price of a barrel of oil (which is used to transport food) has risen almost 400% in the past 7 years. If you have the time to read this, it’s likely that you won’t feel the food crisis very much.  A bit more coin in the gas tank, one less trip to Chipotle this week. No biggie. This is your privilege of being middle-class America.

But there are people who are feeling it.  People working for justice feel it. People crying out for justice feel it. People in your neighborhood and in the next neighborhood over feel it too.

Let’s plant gardens. On rooftops. In backyards. In windowsills. In schoolyards. In highway medians.  Form co-ops with your neighbors and invite people who can’t afford fresh veggies to harvest alongside of you. Send them home with an armful of organically grown fresh vegetables.  Flood food banks with fresh produce.

Work for justice in your own back yard.