BALTIMORE — How do you get fresh fruits and vegetables if you live in a food desert?
Growing seeds of change in a desert. That’s what the people are doing here at The Avenue Market in Upton.
This stall, Fresh at The Avenue, is the only place that sells fresh produce around here. It’s where Rosalind Jones comes to get hers.
“I came to check on some mustard greens that I’ve been waiting for,” Jones says.
Now she and others in this neighborhood have another option when they come here. Thanks to the new seed library sponsored by GroGive and the No Boundaries Coalition.
“If people have access to a variety of vegetable seeds, they’ll be able to start home gardening a little easier,” says Cristi Demnowicz, founder of GroGive. “It’s my belief that home gardening is something everybody should be able to try if they want, and this is one way that we can break down some of the barriers to getting started.”
The free seed library has more than 100 varieties of vegetable and flower seeds, donated by national seed companies to help combat food insecurity in one of Baltimore’s most underserved communities.
Free Seed Library opens in West Baltimore
“Food prices are going up,” Demnowicz says. “A lot of people are getting more interested in how to make, grow their own produce so not relying on others. Being able to rely on yourself and your neighbors for things like this, I think, is going to be real important in the future.”
Jones says she’s been growing a few items at her home, using utility buckets since she doesn’t have a lawn.
“The fresh herbs, basil, thyme,” Jones says. “I do the tomatoes. I do the strawberries. I do the squash.”
She picked up several seed packets to add to what she calls her city garden.
“I have basil, I have cilantro,” Jones says, holding up the seed packets. “Dill, string beans, green beans, tomatoes, and some of this stuff I’ve never tried but I’m going to try it.”
The seed library plans to offer gardening classes, and it’s looking for sponsors to provide soil, pots and other gardening tools so the residents here will have what they need to start their own city gardens.
