Planting seeds for a better tomorrow

We're in the process of developing Touba Gardens. An urban garden located in an inner city food desert. We've completed thorough soil testings and gathered growing recommendations based upon the soil's composition. We're working to build the soil over the course of the winter to prepare for spring planting. This involves utilizing cover crops and adding amendments, organic matter, and composting materials. Various fruit trees were planted over the course of this fall.

We will install a small greenhouse to start our plants from seeds. Also, build raised beds for the local seniors to utilize. They'll share their gardening skills and maintain the raised beds. While local youth learn how to grow in ground from seeds. Bridging the generational differences through gardening and food. We will build solar powered rain barrels, utilize vermicomposting, and build compost bins. To help us capitalize from renewable energy and natural resources.

We're planning to enhance our gardening area by planting native plants and shrubs. Additionally, installing flowers that attract bees and butterflies. We'll use our garden area as an outdoor lab and learn how our ecosystem works together. We'll share new recipes and learn about the many benefits from eating healthy, and growing your own food.

Gather interested community members and volunteers. Build raised beds, compost bins, and fencing. Build and install tool shed, solarized rain barrels, greenhouse and water pump. Include residents with skills to help with the building. Incorporate children into this phase by having them paint the finished beds, bins, and barrels.

Order soil to fill up raised beds. Order supplies for planting and growing transplants in greenhouse. Engage community in the process of selecting the seeds. Create a growing team to help with the maintenance of the plants. Plant seeds in greenhouse and plant more hardier seeds in raised beds. Maintain seedlings until ground is past last freezing. 

Revise the growing team to help with the increased duties of maintaining the plants. Plant seeds outside, arrange scheduled learning activities after-school and on weekends. As weather permits, increase opportunities to engage the community through gardening workshops, trying new recipes with produce from the garden, starting second crops, and maintaining the garden.

After operating and volunteering at local food pantries. We discovered that majority of the food that's available through food banks were either in a can, in a box or contained a lot of sugar. These food items contribute to illness and disease, such as; high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. Additionally, whenever fresh produce was available it was either uncommon (never eaten before), had to be eaten within 1-2 days, or was totally inedible. These issues or concerns motivated us to change our level of involvement, as it relates to food insecurities.

We closed the pantry and went straight to the wholesale food distributors. They allowed us to purchase wholesale and discounted produce. Plus, graciously offers us occasional donations. This food is used to prepare wholesome meals and feed the community. After collaborating with local organizations that encourage environmental stewardship. We began organizing Neighborhood Clean-ups, Flower Plantings, and Tree Plantings. Since we own our land and wanted to make the most of it. We decided to uplift ourselves and the community by engaging in urban gardening, good conversation, learning experiences and wholesome food.