As food and fuel costs continue to rise while concerns about conventionally grown

produce increase, micro-gardening has become a hot trend among urbanites. Using
an array of creative measures, these organic miniature gardens not only provide
nutrient dense, locally grown food, but also create a feeling of connectedness and
well-being.

Levels of trace minerals in conventional fruits and vegetables have been in steady
decline since 1940. As most produce travels an average of 1,500 miles from farm to
plate, these fragile nutrients are depleted even further. Fresh, local, organic
produce is a welcome alternative, demonstrating a higher quantity of 21 key-
nutrients including vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorous, and
chromium.

In PBS "Food Miles" episode 3, writer Michael Shuman states, "investing in local food
systems lessens the distance between who we are and what we eat, and creates
wealth in the community."

Shuman continues in an article for the Huffington Post:

"A study done two years ago found that a 20% shift of retail food spending in
Detroit redirected to locally grown foods would create 5,000 jobs and increase local
output by half a billion dollars."

By growing your own produce, even in a micro-garden setting, additional food costs
can be defrayed, creating financial benefit. Saving seeds after harvest from organic
heirloom varieties as well as reusing clam shell or salad containers for planting
creates additional environmental and economic advantage.

A shining example of a thinking out-of-the box solution to our world food problems
is the Truck Farm in Brooklyn, NY. As necessity is the mother of invention, Ian
Cheney, along with Curt Ellis, created a vegetable garden in the 5' x 8' bed of his
grandfathers pickup truck after moving to New York and realizing there wasn't a
space to grow food. Utilizing green roof technology to allow for proper drainage and
to hold the soil in place, Truck Farm was born. As the harvest and neighborhood
popularity of the Truck Farm grew, Ian and Curtis started a CSA program.

Ian explains during an interview with PlanetGreen.com:

"In principle, the CSA works like this: members give twenty bucks at the beginning
of the spring, and then every month they get a little bag of greens, herbs, and
vegetables delivered to their doorstep. In reality, most of the subscribers live in my
neighborhood so I encourage them to just clip a few greens or pluck a few tomatoes
on their way home from work. Saves gas!"

One of the main challenges for the Truck Farm is getting enough water for the
plants because the lightweight soil drains easily. The solution created another link
of community. "We drive up to an Italian restaurant in my neighborhood, hook up a
hose to their spigot, hand over a little basil, and water away. Sometimes Fulvio, the
owner, gives me a glass of wine with a flourish: 'Water for the farm, wine for the
farmer!'"
Gardening can create happiness too. In a study at the University of Texas, 400
participants responded to a survey concerning their life satisfaction. Respondents
who were gardeners answered positively 20% more of the time to statements about
energy level, optimism, zest for life, and physical self-concept than non-gardeners.

So dig in. A creative micro-garden can help prune food costs, nurture health, foster
joy and prosperity, while sowing the seeds of connection.

Sources for this article:

Virginia Sole-Smith, "It's a Truck! It's a Farm! (And Now, It's Going To Be a Movie.)"
PlanetGreen.Com, June 11, 2010.

Michael H. Shuman, "Community Food Enterprise: Local Success in a Global

Marketplace." Huffington Post, January 25, 2010.

Eric Franks and Jasmine Richardson, Microgreens: A Guide to Growing Nutrient-

Packed Greens. Gibbs Smith, 2009.

Creasy, Rosalind with Cathy Barash, “Grow $700 of Food in 100 Square Feet.”
Mother Earth News Magazine: December 2009/January 2010.

Soil Association (2001), "Organic farming, food quality and human health: a review
of the evidence."

Worthington V (2001), "Nutritional quality of organic versus conventional fruits,

vegetables, and grains." The Journal of Complimentary Medicine, vol. 7, No. 2, p.
161 - 173.

Brandt K and Molgaard JP (2001), "Organic agriculture: Does it enhance or reduce

the nutritional value of food plants?" Journal of Science in Food and Agriculture, 81,
p. 924 - 931.

TM Waliczek, JM Zajicek, RD Lineberger, "The Influence of Gardening Activities on

Consumer Perceptions of Life Satisfaction." HortScience, 2005 (aggie-
horticulture.tamu.edu).