Friends,
This came from a member of the American Community Gardening Association American Community Gardening Association about a highly productive LA garden that feeds the hungry in their area. Please take the time to send a snail mail letter and a well phrased e-mail to the political decision makers listed below. Often out-of-town letters and e-mails can get the attention of political staffers who then forward them to the decision makers.
As in " why in the hell would somebody 3,000 miles away give a damn about this garden?" Also e-mailing and writing Governor Gray Davis:
Governor Gray Davis
State Capitol Building
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: 916-445-2841
Fax: 916-445-4633
governor@governor.ca.gov
and Governor-elect Schwartzenegger's transition team at:
Join Arnold.com
While I am a left-leaning yellow-dog Democrat, I know that you miss 100 percent of the shots you don't take. Land use is inherently political - take a shot, all they can say is no, and then you work on plans B &C.
Best wishes,
Adam Honigman
Volunteer,
Clinton Community Garden
Subj: Fwd: Re: [LAEV] Help save urban garden
Date: 10/26/03 8:44:35 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: libby@igc.org
>>Save the Los Angeles Urban Garden @ 41st and Alameda
>>
>>1. What's going on?
>>
>>Gardeners at the LA Community Garden have been informed that the
>garden, is
>>going to be closing at the end of the year. Local farmers have been
>working
>>the 1st lot for over 12 years and the second lot for over 8 years.
>Every
>>plot has been invested with great effort to make them productive.
>This has
>>included the introduction of organic matter, fertilizers, fencing,
>>diversified seed stock, and most importantly, hard labor.
>>
>>Currently, there are approximately 368 garden plots on 14 acres. These
>>plots supplement the food purchases of the farmers and their families
>while
>>additionally providing their surplus to the local residents.
>>
>>Vernon, a city the size of 5.16 square miles, where the urban garden is
>>located, has been made up of mainly industrial warehouses and low-
>income
>>residents. The median income in Vernon is $16,250. Families must
>often rely
>>on alternative strategies to provide for their food needs. Those
>have been
>>able to get an urban garden plot have come to rely heavily on the
>>productivity of their land to supplement the family caloric intake. A
>>family can easily cut a 1/3 of the grocery bill by working the garden
>plot.
>>Many farmers also sell some of their produce to local residents to
>>supplement their income. Residents who are not able to get a garden
>plot
>>frequently rely on the other farmers as a source of food.
>>
>>It is the resolve of the urban farmers that they have invested over
>a decade
>>in making fallow ground extremely productive. Rumors have been offered
>that
>>relocation would be an option to the farmers, but where in Los Angeles
>>County will you find 13.66 acres of contiguous land just waiting for
>>marginalized people? Clearly, it seems easier to relocate warehouses
>than
>>living plants and trees that have taken years to grow and make productive.
>
>>The gardeners resolve to persevere at the current location.
>>
>>Please help inform the politicians about your support for the gardeners.
>
>>Please contact the following people and let them know we don't want
>to lose
>>our garden!!!!
>>
>>Councilwoman Jan Perry
>>Ninth District
>>200 N. Spring Street
>>Suite 420 City Hall
>>Los Angeles, CA 90012
>>jperry@council.lacity.org
>>(323) 846-2651
>>
>>Mayor James K. Hahn
>>Constituent Service Department
>>200 N. Spring Street, Room 303
>>City Hall
>>Los Angeles, CA 90012
>>MayorHahn@mayor.lacity.org
>>(213) 978-0721
>>
>>*******************************
>>3. Please sign our online petition:
>>http://www.petitiononline.com/lagarden/petition.html
>>
>>Coming soon: WWW.SAVEOURGARDEN.COM <http://www.SAVEOURGARDEN.COM>
>>
>>Contact:
>>Committee to Save the Los Angeles Urban Garden @ 41st and Alameda.
>>818 255-1483
>>tezozomoc@hotmail.com
>>
>>*******************************************
>>3. SAVE OUR GARDEN STRATEGY MEETING
>>
>>4607 So. Main st. on Wednesday at 6:30 pm....(this is the public
>library).
>>We are bringing together the South Central Coalition and the gardeners.
>..
>>
>>We would like all parties that are supporting the gardener's to
>show so we
>>can plan for the Nov. 10th Protest at Juanita Tate's office @ 5:
>30 pm, on
>>said date....
>>
>>What We Need!!!
>>
>>1. Funds to pay for protester signs, "Gardens not Warehouses", "Jan
>Perry
>>is going down like a "hoe!"", "Save our Open Spaces", "Food not
>Soccer",
>>"Homeland Food Security", "Community Food Subsidy", "Homeland Crime
>Free
>>Zones", "Gardens provide Economic Development", etc.
>>
>>2. Funds to generate 1 page handouts. (a couple of thousand of them)
>>
>>3. Funds to get shirts printed.
>>
>>4. One Large Banner for the protest.
>>
>>*****************************************************
>>4.
>>
>>October 18, 2003
>>EDITORIAL
>>L.A. Needs These Oases
>>
>>http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/editorials/la-ed-garden18oct18,
>1,7703681
>>..story?coll=la-news-comment-editorials
>>
>>The heaps of brilliant yellow-orange squash flowers Alejandro Morales
>had
>>just harvested spilled out of two boxes. "We like to eat them,"
>said the
>>32-year-old father of three, "and I share with my neighbors."
>>Most mornings Morales tends the corn, fruit trees and melons on
>his plot at
>>the city's largest community garden. The produce he and his wife
>grow adds
>>fresh food to family meals. But Morales, who drives an ice cream
>truck, says
>>he comes as much for the fresh air, the soothing greenery and the
>chirping
>>birds ? all rare in the city's truck-choked industrial heart. This
>leafy
>>oasis in South Los Angeles is in jeopardy at a moment when the city
>needs
>>more such refuges.
>>
>>Some 300 urban farmers spade the soil at 41st and Alameda streets,
>a garden
>>created 11 years ago by the Los Angeles Food Bank. Most are poor
>immigrants
>>like Morales and Maria Navarro, who uses the aloe and alfalfa leaves
>she
>>grows to ease back pains and stomach troubles.
>>
>>City planners often labor mightily to create the happy alchemy ? the
>>mingling of people of different ages and cultures ? that blooms
>>spontaneously at this site. No public money went into the creation
>of the
>>garden.
>>
>>But neither is the 13-acre garden generating much in property tax
>revenue
>>for the county or income for its owner, developer Ralph Horowitz.
>Howoritz
>>owned the site in the mid-1980s when the city condemned it for a
>>trash-burning plant. When local residents killed that plan, the
>city lent
>>the land to the food bank for a community garden. The original gardeners,
>
>>the food bank and city officials all knew the arrangement was temporary.
>
>>Horowitz has since reacquired the site and plans to build warehouses,
>>creating jobs in a community with 50% unemployment. He's also agreed to
>>donate space for soccer fields or other recreation uses.
>>
>>Morales, Navarro and the others know they will probably have to
>leave by
>>Dec. 1. They want to stay. They've petitioned their council member, Jan
>>Perry, to get the city or a nonprofit agency to buy the land. Perry
>says
>>that's "highly unlikely."
>>
>>It's unlikely as well that they will find another vacant site as
>large as
>>this one for a new garden. Most of the 60 community gardens around Los
>>Angeles are just an acre or two. But if she works with the growing
>network
>>of creative open space activists, Perry can find new homes for these
>>enterprising green thumbs. At Perry's request, the city will quickly
>>identify other potential garden sites ? vacant government land or
>land that
>>the public could buy. The Trust for Public Land has a strong track
>record of
>>doing these deals, and a new Neighborhood Oasis Land Trust, focusing on
>>local greening projects, is just getting organized. If nothing else,
>the
>>garden should remind us how important these urban havens are to all
>>residents.
>>
>>--
>>
>>The California Food and Justice Coalition is a statewide membership
>>coalition committed to the basic human right to healthy food while
>advancing
>>social, agricultural and environmental justice. We are partners of the
>>national Community Food Security Coalition, and collaborate with
>>community-based efforts in California working to create a socially
>just,
>>ecologically and economically sustainable food supply. We envision a
>>California food system in which all activities, from farm to table, are
>>equitable, healthful, sustainable, and community-driven.
>>
>>California Food and Justice Coalition c/o CFSC
>>P.O. Box 209, Venice, CA 90294 ¨ 310-822-5410 ¨ FAX 310-822-1440
>>http://www.foodsecurity.org/california.html
>>email: Heather@foodsecurity.org
-----------------
Forwarded Message:
Subj: Fwd: Re: [LAEV] Help save urban garden
Date: 10/26/03 8:44:35 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: libby@igc.org
To: makare@erols.com, Adam36055@aol.com, aileenb@martnet.com, aileenb@martnet.com, alimastersnj@hotmail.com, garlicgrower@earthlink.net, asfisher@aol.com, ariel@umn.edu, aebarr@temple.edu, abeiswerth@aol.com, naneharvey@juno.com, audrey.m.lisowski@marshmc.com, naneharvey@juno.com, audrey.m.lisowski@marshmc.com, barrybush@earthlink.net, bbonham@pennhort.org, jrn3@psu.edu, piersonrob@aol.com, btingstrom@visionforequality.org, butkovitz-myrna@dol.gov, perkins@e.urts.net, jcampbel@CH2M.com, cmpuppin@aol.com, bleu99@earthlink.net, scottc466@aol.com, carrie@critpath.org, evers@aol-b.com, rybacher@aol.com, Craig_S_OLIVER@umail.umd.edu, bteacher@ptd.net, dpitone@backpacker.com, laney234@aol.com, garlicgrower@earthlink.net, dstahl@psu.edu, mitchor@earthlink.com, visard@erols.com, fsnyder@mail.med.upenn.edu, gchapman2253@aol.com, foglin@earthlink.net, maybe19147@yahoo.com, ghtjat1226@aol.com, davejane@earthlink.net, jlowes@pewtrusts.com, jsafford@deloitte.com, jennifer_horvath@hotmail.com, jeg30@columbia.edu, joseph.revlock@verizon.net, pverin@pennhort.org, vonmahs@aol.com, karllinn@lmi.net, etteric@aol.com, lanie_meriwether@hotmail.com, msolleveld@aol.com, laurelvo@aol.com, lkushner1@yahoo.com, lenora113026@aol.com, mellhealing@yahoo.com, omosti@aol.com, las21@psu.edu, las21@psu.edu, lpieretti@mbcnet.com, marilynashbrook@aol.com, mwinne@hartfordfood.org, Setonc@aol.com, mgilbert@temple.edu, cityfarm@unixg.ubc.ca, nina_b_h@hotmail.com, ptemplewest@ndsarch.org, paf2@psu.edu, pgrosser@temple.edu, rachelkli@hotmail.com, renske@riseup.net, romanfra@att.net, rbailey700@aol.com, sallymcc@libertynet.org, sam.olshin@aol-b.com, umberto92@comcast.net, sngmacd@aol.com, smaurer@pennhort.org, schecter@gis.net, terrym@ngalandtrust.org, tlent@igc.org, wrphd@msn.com
Sent from the Internet
>
>>
>>Save the Los Angeles Urban Garden @ 41st and Alameda
>>
>>1. What's going on?
>>
>>Gardeners at the LA Community Garden have been informed that the
>garden, is
>>going to be closing at the end of the year. Local farmers have been
>working
>>the 1st lot for over 12 years and the second lot for over 8 years.
>Every
>>plot has been invested with great effort to make them productive.
>This has
>>included the introduction of organic matter, fertilizers, fencing,
>>diversified seed stock, and most importantly, hard labor.
>>
>>Currently, there are approximately 368 garden plots on 14 acres. These
>>plots supplement the food purchases of the farmers and their families
>while
>>additionally providing their surplus to the local residents.
>>
>>Vernon, a city the size of 5.16 square miles, where the urban garden is
>>located, has been made up of mainly industrial warehouses and low-
>income
>>residents. The median income in Vernon is $16,250. Families must
>often rely
>>on alternative strategies to provide for their food needs. Those
>have been
>>able to get an urban garden plot have come to rely heavily on the
>>productivity of their land to supplement the family caloric intake. A
>>family can easily cut a 1/3 of the grocery bill by working the garden
>plot.
>>Many farmers also sell some of their produce to local residents to
>>supplement their income. Residents who are not able to get a garden
>plot
>>frequently rely on the other farmers as a source of food.
>>
>>It is the resolve of the urban farmers that they have invested over
>a decade
>>in making fallow ground extremely productive. Rumors have been offered
>that
>>relocation would be an option to the farmers, but where in Los Angeles
>>County will you find 13.66 acres of contiguous land just waiting for
>>marginalized people? Clearly, it seems easier to relocate warehouses
>than
>>living plants and trees that have taken years to grow and make productive.
>
>>The gardeners resolve to persevere at the current location.
>>
>>Please help inform the politicians about your support for the gardeners.
>
>>Please contact the following people and let them know we don't want
>to lose
>>our garden!!!!
>>
>>Councilwoman Jan Perry
>>Ninth District
>>200 N. Spring Street
>>Suite 420 City Hall
>>Los Angeles, CA 90012
>>jperry@council.lacity.org
>>(323) 846-2651
>>
>>Mayor James K. Hahn
>>Constituent Service Department
>>200 N. Spring Street, Room 303
>>City Hall
>>Los Angeles, CA 90012
>>MayorHahn@mayor.lacity.org
>>(213) 978-0721
>>
>>*******************************
>>3. Please sign our online petition:
>>http://www.petitiononline.com/lagarden/petition.html
> >
>>Coming soon: WWW.SAVEOURGARDEN.COM <http://www.SAVEOURGARDEN.COM>
>>
>>Contact:
>>Committee to Save the Los Angeles Urban Garden @ 41st and Alameda.
>>818 255-1483
>>tezozomoc@hotmail.com
>>
>>*******************************************
>>3. SAVE OUR GARDEN STRATEGY MEETING
>>
>>4607 So. Main st. on Wednesday at 6:30 pm....(this is the public
>library).
>>We are bringing together the South Central Coalition and the gardeners.
>..
>>
>>We would like all parties that are supporting the gardener's to
>show so we
>>can plan for the Nov. 10th Protest at Juanita Tate's office @ 5:
>30 pm, on
>>said date....
>>
>>What We Need!!!
>>
>>1. Funds to pay for protester signs, "Gardens not Warehouses", "Jan
>Perry
>>is going down like a "hoe!"", "Save our Open Spaces", "Food not
>Soccer",
>>"Homeland Food Security", "Community Food Subsidy", "Homeland Crime
>Free
>>Zones", "Gardens provide Economic Development", etc.
>>
>>2. Funds to generate 1 page handouts. (a couple of thousand of them)
>>
>>3. Funds to get shirts printed.
>>
>>4. One Large Banner for the protest.
>>
>>*****************************************************
>>4.
>>
>>October 18, 2003
>>EDITORIAL
>>L.A. Needs These Oases
>>
>>http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/editorials/la-ed-garden18oct18,
>1,7703681
>>..story?coll=la-news-comment-editorials
>>
>>The heaps of brilliant yellow-orange squash flowers Alejandro Morales
>had
>>just harvested spilled out of two boxes. "We like to eat them,"
>said the
>>32-year-old father of three, "and I share with my neighbors."
>>Most mornings Morales tends the corn, fruit trees and melons on
>his plot at
>>the city's largest community garden. The produce he and his wife
>grow adds
>>fresh food to family meals. But Morales, who drives an ice cream
>truck, says
>>he comes as much for the fresh air, the soothing greenery and the
>chirping
>>birds ? all rare in the city's truck-choked industrial heart. This
>leafy
>>oasis in South Los Angeles is in jeopardy at a moment when the city
>needs
>>more such refuges.
>>
>>Some 300 urban farmers spade the soil at 41st and Alameda streets,
>a garden
>>created 11 years ago by the Los Angeles Food Bank. Most are poor
>immigrants
>>like Morales and Maria Navarro, who uses the aloe and alfalfa leaves
>she
>>grows to ease back pains and stomach troubles.
>>
>>City planners often labor mightily to create the happy alchemy ? the
>>mingling of people of different ages and cultures ? that blooms
>>spontaneously at this site. No public money went into the creation
>of the
>>garden.
>>
>>But neither is the 13-acre garden generating much in property tax
>revenue
>>for the county or income for its owner, developer Ralph Horowitz.
>Howoritz
>>owned the site in the mid-1980s when the city condemned it for a
>>trash-burning plant. When local residents killed that plan, the
>city lent
>>the land to the food bank for a community garden. The original gardeners,
>
>>the food bank and city officials all knew the arrangement was temporary.
>
>>Horowitz has since reacquired the site and plans to build warehouses,
>>creating jobs in a community with 50% unemployment. He's also agreed to
>>donate space for soccer fields or other recreation uses.
>>
>>Morales, Navarro and the others know they will probably have to
>leave by
>>Dec. 1. They want to stay. They've petitioned their council member, Jan
>>Perry, to get the city or a nonprofit agency to buy the land. Perry
>says
>>that's "highly unlikely."
>>
>>It's unlikely as well that they will find another vacant site as
>large as
>>this one for a new garden. Most of the 60 community gardens around Los
>>Angeles are just an acre or two. But if she works with the growing
>network
>>of creative open space activists, Perry can find new homes for these
>>enterprising green thumbs. At Perry's request, the city will quickly
>>identify other potential garden sites ? vacant government land or
>land that
>>the public could buy. The Trust for Public Land has a strong track
>record of
>>doing these deals, and a new Neighborhood Oasis Land Trust, focusing on
>>local greening projects, is just getting organized. If nothing else,
>the
>>garden should remind us how important these urban havens are to all
> >residents.
>>
>>--
>>
>>The California Food and Justice Coalition is a statewide membership
>>coalition committed to the basic human right to healthy food while
>advancing
>>social, agricultural and environmental justice. We are partners of the
>>national Community Food Security Coalition, and collaborate with
>>community-based efforts in California working to create a socially
>just,
>>ecologically and economically sustainable food supply. We envision a
>>California food system in which all activities, from farm to table, are
>>equitable, healthful, sustainable, and community-driven.
>>
>>California Food and Justice Coalition c/o CFSC
>>P.O. Box 209, Venice, CA 90294 ¨ 310-822-5410 ¨ FAX 310-822-1440
>>http://www.foodsecurity.org/california.html
>>email: Heather@foodsecurity.org
>>
|
