Gaia Gardens, an organic farm on the city’s south side, sprang into being last year from the vision and hard labor of Poki Piottin and Dominique Pozo. When I first visited the garden last summer, I was astounded at the miraculous change that had occurred on that portion of Santa Fe’s arid landscape. Six-foot tall sunflowers swayed in the breeze above rows of green arugula and chard. A little farm stand provided a chance for local folk to purchase organic vegetables. Later on I learned about composting and soil preparation through workshops at the gardens, and met like-minded folks at potlucks. These activities were quietly conducted with no increased noise or traffic in my residential neighborhood.
It was disheartening, to
put it mildly, to learn of the difficulties this year with city zoning
and codes. These difficulties seemed antithetical to the sustainable
Santa Fe guidelines adopted by our city in 2009. This plan listed
initiatives such as, “Adopt and enforce land use codes and policies that
promote sustainable, energy-efficient, carbon-neutral development.
Provide for alternatives to the automobiles. Keep neighborhoods livable.
Provide economic opportunity throughout the city.”
Personally, I never go to
the Santa Fe Farmers Market. I don’t like the drive and don’t want to
mess with parking downtown. However, last year it was possible to walk
over and purchase vegetables from the farm stand. Economic
opportunities? Alternatives to automobiles? Sustainable development?
Livable neighborhoods? Gaia Gardens actualizes this vision, and much
more.
Gaia Gardens fosters
educational opportunity and a true sense of community. Visiting classes
from small schools and students from nearby Santa Fe High School, as
well as adult volunteers, have had the opportunity to get their hands
dirty, shovel compost, watch baby ducklings and eat carrots fresh from
Mother Earth. I worked in the Santa Fe Schools for 25 years. Sadly, many
children I worked with thought food only came from MacDonald’s — not
Old MacDonald’s farm.
The Sustainable Santa Fe
Plan has a large section devoted to food systems. Stated goals include
creating multiple food growing, processing, storing and selling
opportunities. Other goals include identifying and reducing barriers to
urban agriculture, developing neighborhood centers for home economics,
sustainability, food-related processes and providing educational
resources for organic food production. Both the vision and the actuality
of Gaia Gardens support these goals.
Communities spring up
organically, but they need nurturing. It was my experience working in
the schools that well meaning attempts to implement a sense of community
from the top down were rarely successful. Yet other schools had a
strong sense of shared vision and were wonderful learning communities.
What made the difference — what really worked — was a magical coming
together of opportunity, leadership, and willing participation.
Like the tender shoot of a
plant, an emerging community can grow and bloom under favorable
conditions or can die from lack of nourishment. I urge the City Council
to do whatever necessary to allow Gaia Gardens to thrive.
Susan McDuffie
retired from the Santa Fe Schools in 2007. She now writes historical
mysteries and enjoys growing a few vegetables at home.
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