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I'm delighted that home gardening is again showing up on our societal radar.  I've grown and preserved most of my own food for the last 20 years, and there's nothing better than wandering among my many fruit trees, berries, grapes, and veggies of every stripe thinking of the wonderful meals that are to come.  The garden is also a large part of the community glue that strengthens our neighborhood, as many of our neighbors take part in the growing and harvesting of our food.  It gives me a link to my own roots, as I learned to garden with my grandfather and can and preserve the harvest with my grandmother.  They live in my memory as I put away the year's food.

We're also extremely lucky to have a wonderful non-profit called Growing Gardens here in the Portland area.  Growing Gardens helps people of modest means and little experience start their first gardens.  Volunteers will come to a recipient's home, dig the garden and provide the new gardener with plant starts.  In addition, they provide education on how to grow crops and cook the harvest. 

posted 4 years, 1 month ago
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