“It’s just a great feeling to harvest something you grew yourself and eat it on the spot, so simple and so good!”
In episode three of Urban Organic, we meet Jimmy Ng – farmer and project manager of The Growing Experiences. He tells a little bit more about how The Growing Experience has grown (pun intended) to be an important part of the Long Beach community.
How did the idea for The Growing Experience come about?
The Growing Experience (TGE) started as a landscape training program back in 1996, and the grounds were originally for a wholesale nursery to grow ornamental plants for installation at different county sites. In 2008, in response to a growing need from residents in the community affected by diabetes and obesity, the grounds were transitioned to become an urban farm which would provide easy access to healthy produce, along with nutrition education programming.
Why is it an important part of the community?
TGE has grown to become an important community amenity, in which residents have access to safe, outdoor green space for recreation and growing their own food in the community garden, the opportunity to purchase low-cost sustainably grown produce in their neighborhood as part of the CSA, and become engaged through community events such as Earth Day, Fall Harvest, and farm-to-table fundraiser dinners. Youth also have the opportunity to participate in jobs/skills training programs and receive their first work experience.
What is the biggest obstacle you’ve faced that would be helpful for someone starting their own garden and CSA to know?
It is very important to have community involvement and engagement, otherwise activities and projects won’t be sustainable over the long term. By having youth engaged, we cut down almost entirely vandalism and theft, as their was ownership in the programs and they looked out for the site.
What is the easiest thing to grow? What is your favorite thing to grow?
Arugula grows like a weed and self sows–it’s great! I like to grow heirloom tomatoes with all the unusual colors and shapes.
Do you think that more people should grow their on food and why?
I think EVERYBODY should grow some of their own food, whether herbs in pots on a patio/balcony or tomatoes in the yard. It’s just a great feeling to harvest something you grew yourself and eat it on the spot, so simple and so good!
