Mary's Garden is the story of a little girl who wants a garden in her yard. Her garden grows so well it gives more food than her family and friends can eat. She is aware that there are poor people in her county who don't have transportation. Sometimes, they have to take two or three buses to get to a grocery store.
Mary's garden expands to become an organic produce stand, and then expands again into a building with a vegetarian kitchen and dining room. People come from miles around to eat the delicious food that is served there, grown on the land nearby.
The author is a member of the Bioneers, which stands for "biological pioneers" (www.Bioneers.org). Marika is learning about many projects to naturally restore human health and the planet. At the 2004 Bioneers Conference, LaDonna Redmond spoke about the issue of bringing organic foods and urban farms to poor local communities which have otherwise been left out of the picture.
LaDonna's son had terrible allergies, and she decided to improve her family's nutrition to help him get better. She made the shocking statement that, in her inner Chicago neighborhood, "It's easier to buy a 38 caliber pistol than to find an organic apple!" She and her husband started an inner city organic produce store as a result of this revelation.
Mary's Garden is designed to appeal to "children of all ages", from the very young to the young adults and parents who might be moved to create a similar project. It's also an inspiration for people to create similar programs in their own area, with a flyer and photos showing how to get started. There's a coloring book called "Wiggle E. Worm" that all children seem to love.
Mary's garden expands to become an organic produce stand, and then expands again into a building with a vegetarian kitchen and dining room. People come from miles around to eat the delicious food that is served there, grown on the land nearby.
The author is a member of the Bioneers, which stands for "biological pioneers" (www.Bioneers.org). Marika is learning about many projects to naturally restore human health and the planet. At the 2004 Bioneers Conference, LaDonna Redmond spoke about the issue of bringing organic foods and urban farms to poor local communities which have otherwise been left out of the picture.
LaDonna's son had terrible allergies, and she decided to improve her family's nutrition to help him get better. She made the shocking statement that, in her inner Chicago neighborhood, "It's easier to buy a 38 caliber pistol than to find an organic apple!" She and her husband started an inner city organic produce store as a result of this revelation.
Mary's Garden is designed to appeal to "children of all ages", from the very young to the young adults and parents who might be moved to create a similar project. It's also an inspiration for people to create similar programs in their own area, with a flyer and photos showing how to get started. There's a coloring book called "Wiggle E. Worm" that all children seem to love.
