TAKE A BREAK: Sowing the
Seeds of Financial Relief
May 7, 2009 -
3:40 PM
Jerry Gretzinger
CBS 6 News
Howard
Stoner of Troy is not a landscaper but he's happy to get out and mow
the lawn.
Even
though he doesn't own it.
You might
say he's got a 'stake' in it though.
For the
past 20 years, Howard and his family have been planting vegetables
at the Eleventh and Eagle Community Garden in Troy.
Howard
says he grows, "carrots and beets, sweet potatoes and cauliflower,
peppers, eggplant, tomatoes..."
The list
goes on.
It's just
one of 46 locations managed by the folks at Capital District
Community Gardens, giving people in urban areas who have little land
or live in apartments the chance to grow their own fruits and
vegetables.
Anne
Klein, from Community Gardens, says the group gives away more than
just advice.
You might
say they're giving away the farm.
"We're not
going to do the gardening for them but we will provide them all the
resources they need to be successful in that."
Resources
like seeds, gardening tools, lessons, and of course the garden. Each
plot of land they manage is divvied up among everyone who wants to
get growing. But it does require a cornucopia of commitment.
"We don't
belittle that," she says, "because it is hard work to garden and we
want to make sure people know that."
Still,
sign up sessions like one recently in Albany have been busier than
ever. Klein is certain the economy has something do with that.
They've
actually had to reduce the amount of space they can give to each
gardener to accommodate all the demand. Howard says it just means
more people are finally figuring out something he's know all along.
"It's been
great. We've been able to supplement our food expense with gardening
here."
|
