The Local Food Revolution in Oympiaby TJ Johnson How and where our food is grown, and how it gets to our table, has tremendous implications for our ability to create a more sustainable future. There is ample evidence that our current food production system is unsustainable. Productive soil is being lost on a shocking scale, with some experts predicting as much as 50 percent topsoil lost by the end of the century. The large scale agribusiness enterprises that dominate food production in the U.S. are draining our aquifers, poisoning our streams and rivers with chemical runoff, and corrupting our democracy. Obesity and diabetes are on the rise as more and more of the calories we consume come in the form of corn syrup (regular and high fructose). Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are distorting millions of years of evolution through natural selection, and corporate control of the seed industry puts us all at the mercy of people who prioritize not the health of our people and our planet but shareholder dividends. Fortunately, and perhaps due to the above, there has been a resurgence of public interest in food production and consumption from both an ethical and political perspective. Recent books such as The Omnivore's Dilemma and In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan, and Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver have become bestsellers.The spiral-down-without-end trajectory of the economy has more and more people thinking about planting a garden to raise some of their own food. To support this renewed interest and to help the community transition to a more sustainable future, Sustainable South Sound recently launched the Urban Agriculture Program. The program seeks to increase the amount of organic food grown on private property and public space by advocating for changes to public policy, providing information and resources, and building a vibrant network of urban farmers. By increasing the amount of organically grown local food we can reduce our carbon footprint, improve our local economy, create a more healthy population, and build a stronger and more vibrant community. The program grew out of an article in the Green Pages last spring that invited people interested in these ideas to attend a pot-luck at the Lincoln Elementary organic garden. More than 50 people attended this initial meeting, and by the end of the afternoon a new network of urban farmers was born. Since basic how-to, hands on information was identified as an initial need, the meeting was followed up last summer by several workshops that taught people how to convert their lawn to an organic vegetable garden, build a compost pile, get started with chickens, and sharpen and maintain tools. In addition, a list serve was established, mailto:olympiaurbanag@yahoo.com to help people stay connected and share resources. In fall 2008, this budding network of urban gardeners found an organizational home at Sustainable South Sound. Since then, we've been engaged on both policy and practical levels. On a policy level, we've been advocating that the City of Olympia encourage our parks, open space and right of ways to be used to grow food for the community. The city is in the midst of updating its parks plan, and urban agriculture enthusiasts have been forceful and frequent voices in the process. And we've found initial success. Both the city's Park and Recreation Advisory Committee and parks department staff have identified community gardens as a key policy issue to be included in the draft plan to be released this spring. We'll continue to advocate for the issue as the plan moves through public review and eventual adoption by the City Council later this year. On a practical level we've reached out to build partnerships with some of the many groups also working on food issues in our community. We've become a partner in the Thurston County Hunger Free Coalition along with Garden Raised Bounty (GRuB), the Food Bank, Left Foot Organics and others. The goal is to leverage our efforts to build community food security as one means of creating a more resilient, sustainable community. We'll also be partnering with GRuB to host three workshops: Spring Gardening (April 4), Summer Gardening (May 30), and Fall/Winter Garden Preparation (Aug. 15). All workshops are open to the public on a sliding scale basis, and will take place at Evergreen Villages Community Center, 505 Division St NW, from 11a.m.-12 p.m. At the first workshop, we plan to identify topics for additional workshops, which will be scheduled throughout the year. Last month we hosted a seed swap and potluck, which brought people together to share seeds, talk about their plan for this year's garden, and build community while sharing homemade organic food. Later this spring we plan a gathering to swap vegetable starts. Our newest undertaking is the creation of a demonstration urban garden in the northeast neighborhood of Olympia. Thanks to the generosity of a local family, we've gotten permission to develop a new garden on an almost quarter-acre plot at the site of a former organic farm in the heart of our urban area. The goals of the new Wendell Berry Demonstration Garden are to produce sustainably raised organic food for the community members who work the land, to produce excess food to donate to the Thurston County Food Bank, and to serve as a model for integrating organic food production into urban life. The headline of the Spring 2009 issue of Yes! magazine proclaims "Food For Everyone: How to Grow a Local Food Revolution." Inside the magazine are numerous articles that illustrate how individuals and local communities from Cleveland, Ohio to Belo Horizonte, Brazil are taking charge of their food futures. Our efforts here in Olympia represent a local manifestation of the global movement to realize a more sustainable and just future by taking back our power as food producers and food consumers. Won't you join us? For more information or to get involved, contact TJ Johnson at mailto:tjjohnson@scattercreek.com TJ Johnson is a community activist, former member of the Olympia City Council, and director of the Sustainable South Sound Urban Agriculture Program.
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