This morning I was walking along Kalayaan Avenue, engrossed with thoughts of how to give flesh to a project paper due the next day. I have had trouble concentrating with so many disappointing events in and outside the country amidst other concerns. Yet, something caught my eyes cutting through the morass of my musings. I passed through this area so many time and never noticed the green vegetation hanging on the wall. Or, maybe I noticed the potted plants. But, what I didn't noticed were the other plants seemingly similar to the others, yet different. With my myopic eyes I peered closer. What I saw made me smile. There are vegetables planted in containers popularly known as container urban gardening. The space is quiet narrow, yet, whoever planted these vegetables maximimized the small space and made use of urban container gardening technology.
I wonder if it's a communal garden of the community or an initiative of some individuals or a project of the barangay.... Whatever and whichever, the small garden can already sustained a family or two for a healthy daily sustenance. Despite the lack of space in the neighborhood, the person/s who planted the vegetable did not make it a hindrance to grow their own food and secure their food source. To me, this is empowering. Little initiatives that people make to respond to their daily food needs using materials that could be considered trash and harmful to the environment if not disposed of and re-used properly, and in small spaces. This made me think that if we use our public open spaces wisely by growing food in the different communities, where ever they maybe, can help address the food insecurity issue of many poor communities. Doing this small gardens do not entail much resources. What is needed is the willingness to do it and a sprinkle of innovation and creativity. Communities and neighbors can always share whatever vegetable plants they have to others to start their own small gardens. Perhaps, we can start solidarity gardens in communties challenged with space to grow their own food. If this will become a widespread practice, we could have a community of gardeners growing their own food.
I peered at all the green vegetables: alugbati, string beans, kamote tops, pechay, mustard, ampalaya, patola, and malunggay. Some of the plants were planted directly to the soil while others were planted in discarded galloons, soda bottles, pots, tetra pots. There were seedbeds for pechay and mustard made of wooden slabs nicely put together. Since the area is near a wet market, the gardener/s also made use of discarded netted sack for onions to cover the seedbed to protect the growing plants from too much sun and other elements.
I wonder if it's a communal garden of the community or an initiative of some individuals or a project of the barangay.... Whatever and whichever, the small garden can already sustained a family or two for a healthy daily sustenance. Despite the lack of space in the neighborhood, the person/s who planted the vegetable did not make it a hindrance to grow their own food and secure their food source. To me, this is empowering. Little initiatives that people make to respond to their daily food needs using materials that could be considered trash and harmful to the environment if not disposed of and re-used properly, and in small spaces. This made me think that if we use our public open spaces wisely by growing food in the different communities, where ever they maybe, can help address the food insecurity issue of many poor communities. Doing this small gardens do not entail much resources. What is needed is the willingness to do it and a sprinkle of innovation and creativity. Communities and neighbors can always share whatever vegetable plants they have to others to start their own small gardens. Perhaps, we can start solidarity gardens in communties challenged with space to grow their own food. If this will become a widespread practice, we could have a community of gardeners growing their own food.
Seeing the small garden lovingly maintained (by the looks of it) put a smile to my face and a spring to my steps. Indeed, it is in small and simple things that we can find happiness and inspiration.
11:22AM
14 Nov. 2016
Teachers Village
Q.C
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