Our Victory Garden - Ten Years at the WMU Community Garden
August 27 2020 - The WMU Community Garden has always been a place for people to grow their own veggies, enjoy propagating flowers, and get a chance to enjoy some fresh air. During the unprecedented events of 2020, these activities have become even more important to the gardeners that have called this space their gardening home, some of them having gardened here for nearly ten years. When loss of funding due to the COVID-19 pandemic left the garden unsupported for the 2020 season, returning gardeners collectively worked together to push for our independence to continue operation at a safe and limited scale.
The concept of the “victory garden” is at the forefront of my mind. When agricultural resources were decreased from sending soldiers to war during World War I and World War II, citizens in many countries were encouraged to cultivate their own food to address the resulting food shortages. These days, our supply chains are constantly readjusting to chaotic changes in global logistics, amplifying the need to ensure fresh food far more than in less historic years. If you drive through any neighborhood in Kalamazoo today and compare it to last year, it is easy to find a significantly higher number of small gardens in front of houses.
We are celebrating the tenth season of the garden in a very different way than any of us would have imagined ten years ago. Nevertheless, one thing remains unchanged – the garden still provides us all with food, herbs & seasonings, comfort, and clarity of mind. We do not yet know what the future holds for the Kalamazoo community, but what we do hope is that this space can continue to provide tranquility during one of the most challenging moments of this century so far. At our garden this year, we can call every germinated seed, pollinated flower, and harvested tomato a victory.
-Olivia
August 27 2020 - The WMU Community Garden has always been a place for people to grow their own veggies, enjoy propagating flowers, and get a chance to enjoy some fresh air. During the unprecedented events of 2020, these activities have become even more important to the gardeners that have called this space their gardening home, some of them having gardened here for nearly ten years. When loss of funding due to the COVID-19 pandemic left the garden unsupported for the 2020 season, returning gardeners collectively worked together to push for our independence to continue operation at a safe and limited scale.
The concept of the “victory garden” is at the forefront of my mind. When agricultural resources were decreased from sending soldiers to war during World War I and World War II, citizens in many countries were encouraged to cultivate their own food to address the resulting food shortages. These days, our supply chains are constantly readjusting to chaotic changes in global logistics, amplifying the need to ensure fresh food far more than in less historic years. If you drive through any neighborhood in Kalamazoo today and compare it to last year, it is easy to find a significantly higher number of small gardens in front of houses.
We are celebrating the tenth season of the garden in a very different way than any of us would have imagined ten years ago. Nevertheless, one thing remains unchanged – the garden still provides us all with food, herbs & seasonings, comfort, and clarity of mind. We do not yet know what the future holds for the Kalamazoo community, but what we do hope is that this space can continue to provide tranquility during one of the most challenging moments of this century so far. At our garden this year, we can call every germinated seed, pollinated flower, and harvested tomato a victory.
-Olivia
