McKinley/Bonita Neighborhood Celebrates a New Community Garden

On April 24th, in conjunction with La Mesa Verde's Spring planting day, community members celebrated the official start of the newly established McKinley/Bonita Neighborhood Garden. Approximately 60 community members attended to participate in children's activities, witness a ceremonial garden planting of the community garden bed and chat with their neighbors and friends.

And what, might you say, is so different about this community garden? Why not spotlight all of the other community gardens popping up around the area? This garden is a unique testament to the power of community development and the increasing interest in urban agriculture opportunities. The garden isn't growing in a vacant lot, or filling a corner of a city park, it is in the front yard of a community members home. The homeowner graciously offered up her front yard, tore out her Bermuda grass with the help of Silicon Valley Health Corps volunteers, and is now letting 3 families from the community grow food in her front yard.

Three participants of the La Mesa Verde program with part of their early summer harvest.

Each family is participating in the La Mesa Verde program, which offers free wooden garden beds, plants, soil, gardening classes and mentorship for families in San Jose who want help growing their own food. All 3 of these families live in apartments and therefore, wouldn't usually be able to participate in the program.

On the 24th, they planted all sorts of summer vegetables including; peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, pole beans and melons. During the school year some of the children requested that their parents wait until after school for them to go to the garden, so they could go as well. The participants come to the garden a few days a week to water, harvest and maintain their gardens, bringing their children and families along to share in the responsibilities and delights of the garden.