Seedy Sunday February 13, 2011

This symposium presentation was given by Susan Berman & Edward Bhim from the Perth Dupont Community Garden and Dr. Chris Boulias from the West Park Healthcare Centre, during the Seedy Sunday event at the Hart House - University of Toronto

Access, Opportunity and Health

A look at life in the

Perth Dupont Community Garden

By Susan Berman

This community garden has given us access and opportunity to have a relationship with the land, with nature, with the food we eat, and with our neighbourhood and the community. This Community garden gives us access to a healthy lifestyle.

Our Health: Why is the garden important? The fresh air? hearing the song birds? For those that suffer from stress, are socially isolated, those that don't have good health, or have physical limitations, and those that have financial challenges - arriving at the garden several times a week – is like going on mini vacations, It is very relaxing here. You can take yourself away to a new world. Your body needs the relief from stress, and this is an opportunity to do some meaningful work, and have control over the food you eat..

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Access to the land and to our roots

As we get dirt under our nails, and we look at the worms and small bugs in our garden, we start to realize that the soil is alive, and if we care for it, it will give us a bountiful harvest. This has been the task of our ancestors since the beginning of time.

A relation ship with the land: Land? Dirt? Soil! The soil has millions of macro organisms and billions of micro organisms in it. They work to break down minerals and organic material (compost) to prepare it for our vegetables to absorb the essential nutrients. How much have we heard about pollution, the damage that acid rain has cause, and exhausted soil from farms with their traditional farming practices. Here we can work to prevent this from happening.

Our roots: I have found many folks that have come here, both to join the garden, and those having a tour, tell me of their youth, and their parents garden, or some other relative that they would visit and help work on their garden, you know, they would get that dreamy look in their eyes, and you could tell that just thinking about it, brought back warm memories, and a sense of feeling good!

Working in our multicultural garden, we have learned about gardening practices from around the world, and have found out about many different vegetables from different corners of the earth.

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Access to nature

Each community garden has the opportunity to be a micro “Nature Reserve”. We have a wide variety of plants growing in one area, a place for the helpful insects, and birds to reside, if we have a small area set aside for native plants, a Butterfly or Song Bird Garden, or even just a Front Flower Bed, we will be helping nature – and they will be helping us to have better pollinated vegetables, with less harmful bugs.

Nature Reserve? Yes, each community garden can be a sanctuary for our pollinators and their protectors. The Perth Dupont Community Garden was started in 2005, In the neighbourhood we had the standard sparrows, starlings, pidgins, and seagulls. But now we defiantly have more song birds, and the residential hawk that lives nearby. I think what enhanced the difference, was installing the Butterfly Garden, and having a front flower bed, populated with many native plants. From the time the snow start to melts in the spring, until the killing frost in the fall, there is always something in bloom.

Now, I have to admit – I wasn't really in-tune with the local bugs … and at that point (in 2005) I wasn't aware of the crisis affecting the bee population … but since I have been involved with the this community garden and with the TCGN – I have become more aware of what is happening. Pollination is an essential ecosystem service, that is needed to sustain our flowering plant diversity. Unfortunately, pollinator diversity is declining worldwide, especially that of bees.

Scott MacIvor: Is conducting an In-depth Study of Wild Bees in Toronto's Green Spaces you can have an opportunity to increase the pollinator stewardship in your neighbourhood.

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Access to Food – We are what we eat.

If we grow good organic vegetables, fruits and berries, and take the time to prepare them for our meals, we will feel better. If we share our harvest with our friends and neighbours, share them with those in need, we will feel better. Plant a Row – Grow a Row is the concept of growing a little extra for those in need, most community gardens do honor this practice, and it is appreciated by Food Banks, Soup Kitchens, and by those that use these services.

Organic Vegetables: Although growing our own organic vegetables is less expensive than store bought veggies, it is not “free” food. There is a lot of work involved, specially in making sure that we have healthy soil. But of course the rewards are delicious!

Seeds: When you walk around at this event, …. visit all the vendors, go to the seed exchange table, you will see a lot a variety, you will have to opportunity to find seeds of vegetables that were almost extinct, seeds for vegetables and flowers that you have never seen before. As long as you follow the instructions to planting them, you can choose what will grow in your garden.

The Sharing garden.. When I became the coordinator in 2006, there was one plot that wasn't used the year before, and the quack grass and weeds were taking over. This plot is 13' X 25'. Several gardeners helped me to clear it, took about two weeks, but when it was cleared, - I thought, it would be appropriate for it to to become the garden for sharing. We now donate about 300 – 400 pounds of produce to the Stop Community Food Centre every year. This is used in their soup kitchen, and for the food bank.

Access to the community and for the community

For people that are suffering isolation, the community garden provides them access to meeting new friends and a starting point to know their neighbours. At the same time – providing access to the community, for them see the garden, creates a bond in the neighbourhood.

To the community: A Community Garden, by it's name, is run by using the “community process”. That is, decisions are made by the community group as a whole. The organizational structure consists of either formal or informal committees that would present their work to the general membership before any decisions are made. The meetings to make decisions are open to all the members of the garden, and all of them have a say as to how it will be run.

For the community: A community garden is an area for growing food and flowers that is used by the people who live in the community. They can have either individual plots or communal growing areas. It is easy to walk over to the garden and pull a few carrots, for dinner, or to do a bit of weeding in the evening. It is really nice to be able to give fresh cut flowers to a friend. And gardening is an inexpensive activity that the whole family can participate in. Even the very little ones can learn where the good places are to walk, and what cherry tomatoes look like.

The first few years: When our garden was just starting out, we did suffer quite a lot of pilferage (oops I mean "unsolicited harvest") but as the rest of the community got used to the garden being in the park, the problem has subsided.

In the past, the park was not well used, people hardly used the tennis court, and occasionally, you would see kids fooling around in the park, but it wasn’t fun, because the local dog owners hardly picked up after their pets.

Now, since the garden has been installed, the park is well used, our neighbours love taking their “daily constitutional walk” through our garden and there is more healthy activity in general, in the park, there are often lineups to use the tennis courts, and I see parents playing in the grass with their children, and this has created a better setting for the dog owners to be responsible for their pets.

Community Gardens are more than just growing things and having meetings.

• They are a place to share seeds and gardening tips and to pass along gardening techniques.

• They are a place for once isolated seniors to grow food and friendships.

• They are a place where families can do a meaningful and inexpensive activity together.

• They are a place to grow the good organic food that you would like to eat.

• They are an opportunity to share with the community the "extra row".

• They are a sanctuary for our pollinators and other wildlife (insects and birds )

The Trains: you will notice in some of the pictures of our community garden, that in the background there are fright trains going by. So, many people ask, aren't we worried about the air pollution contaminating the soil? Studies have shown that the particles that land on our vegetables, can be washed off, and do not pose a threat, the air pollution is an “inhalation hazard” once it lands on the surface, of the ground, it is no longer a threat. As well, along the north side of our garden, the fence is lined with trees, like a barrier that filters out a lot of these air contaminates for the breathing health of our gardeners.

Access for those with Special Needs – Introduce Edward

There are those in the community that are confined to wheelchairs, or need to use walkers or canes. Some have disabilities that are not so easy to see at first glance, like myself. We at the TCGN would like to encourage community gardens to become more inclusive, so that these people are not left out. With the proper adaptive gardening tools, a raised garden bed, if that is required, even wider pathways, gardening can give new hope.

Edward has been a member of the Perth Dupont Community Garden for several years now, and he would like to speak about how the garden has helped him in his recovery of a stroke.

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My name is Edward Bhim and I am a stroke survivor.

I had a stroke seven years ago. It was a very long and hard road to recovery, but I am very proud of myself today. I still continue with different types of therapy, but gardening is one of my favorite.

Gardening is one of the most rewarding forms of therapy. It helps to relieve stress. It is also a great form of exercise.

I am a member of the Perth Dupont Community Garden. I enjoy meeting all my friends there. We talk about plants and also exchange ideas. We also get the opportunity to learn about different cultures, and food and plants from different countries.

I have also had the privilege to exercise my leadership skills. I was given the assignment of Captain for the Maintenance Team. With 4 other gardeners and a list of priorities, we got to know each other better and felt good about our contribution.

If you can’t stand you can sit on a small stool to do your gardening.

It is a great feeling to plant the seeds, then watch them grow and bloom, then reap the crops. The vegetables we plant are all organic and I feel so happy to say that these crops came from my garden.

Relief from Stress - Can gardening do it?

Dr. Chris Boulias from the West Park Healthcare Centre

Note - Having been the garden coordinator of the Perth Dupont community Garden for several years, and having had many folks working in the garden .... I have seen the spirits lifted for many of them, those that I knew had been suffering hardship of one sort or another.

It was good to hear this medical proof - that there is a measurable difference of relief for people who had been suffering from stress and depression - if they were involved in gardening.

.... About Dr. Boulias' notes - we were hoping to have a copy of his notes - proof through various studies that gardening does relieve stress.... however we were not able to get them.