I spend a few afternoons with Imogen. We cycle around town, meeting gardener friends of hers. There are some amazing secret gardens in the city. A group called Dogwood Initiative is taking over vacant lots to grow food for anyone to pick. A lot of people talk about seed sharing as a way to keep a variety of seeds in circulation to ensure biodiversity. A few give me baggies of seeds with names like Monster Kale or Bliss Garlic. Everyone says that their own food tastes best.
One of Imogen’s friends talks about food security. That means that everyone should be able to access nutritious food. Everyone in the world should have enough money to buy food or land to grow their own. The food should also be appropriate to how people live. So if they’re vegetarian, they should be able to get vegetarian food. Food security also means that the food is raised in a safe way—safe for the environment and for people’s health.
One day Imogen leads a bicycle tour of GRRR! and BRRR! members to a “farm” in the city. It is a house where the yard has been completely turned into garden beds. We get lessons in mixing soil and planting swiftly and secretly.
A couple of nights later, we’re ready. After dark, Melissa, Afareen, Hayiko, Emma T., Niall and I bike through the quiet streets. We are pulling trailers of compost and plants and shovels. We use bungee cords to strap everything snugly so that nothing rattles.
Imogen found the plants for us. She also landed us a load of free horse manure. Free poo! And she checked the site to make sure the soil was well drained and had good sun exposure.
Niall and I drew up a schedule that breaks our mission into half minutes. We move quickly and quietly. After the planting is done, we spread wood shavings to keep the roots warm. Cars pass by, but no one slows down. We’re done in forty minutes.
Half a block away we stop and consider our work. We’ve planted ten young apple trees. They look like humble umbrellas. It’s a sweet orchard. We planted garlic, chives and leek around the trees as companion plants. They will help the apple trees grow. Afareen painted a beautiful sign that reads:
Apples for All
A community orchard
A second sign explains that all are welcome to help care for and reap the rewards of this orchard, which will bear fruit in two years. It is signed GRRR! and BRRR!
I take Niall’s hand and squeeze it. He squeezes back. Then we’re back on our bikes, whooping for joy as we pedal down the dark roads. That night, a soft rain falls on the house. I imagine the trees lapping up the fresh water.