Reclaim
No, it’s not corn. Those tall swaying stalks in my front and back yards are a Southern heritage crop named sorghum that was originally brought here on slave ships from Africa. Traditionally made into a sweetener here in the Southeastern United States (where it’s an easy crop to grow because it’s drought-resistant), it is now more often than not fed to livestock as well as pets, used to make ethanol, or eaten as a nutritionally-rich grain or gluten-free flour (although you do hear of a little sorghum molasses renaissance every now and then, which I haven’t yet made because of the whole need for a donkey-powered-press, but that may be coming). I even encountered it popped like popcorn on my salad at a lovely farm-to-table restaurant where I took my mom for Mother’s Day this year!
I love growing sorghum and the way it dances in the breeze, turns golden in the fall, requires no care, and reseeds itself each year. I love that growing sorghum reclaims the importance of Africa in our agricultural heritage as a species. But the best part of all is that pretty yellow goldfinches love it and I often see them dangling off the seedheads outside my windows.
Pssst. If you’re a farm-to-table chef anywhere in the USA, Truly Living Well Center for Natural Urban Agriculture has a beautiful stand of sorghum right now that might not yet be claimed. Contact them here. Action step: Support your local farmers who are growing crops with which you may not be familiar. Ask them about what they are selling and why, and try something old that may be new to you.
And speaking of Truly Living Well, don’t miss founder Rashid Nuri’s stunning book, Growing Out Loud. Here is my post, with link to my book review, after I was asked to interview him at a dinner hosted by the City of Atlanta’s Director of Urban Agriculture and his wife this past Saturday.
The Good
So I wrote on Instagram that “the goats were moved and I know where they are,” and my older daughter texted me to say that sounded creepy (which is still making me laugh out loud). But if you are out there Traveling at the Speed of Bike (yes, there’s a goat story in my book), you’ve most likely noticed the goats (and when they are moved) as well. And frankly, you have to admit it’s a bit of a thrill each time you find them again (although please note my daily highlight is my chewable calcium vitamin so my excitement bar is kind of low).
Anyway, I’m loving that more and more cities, businesses, and individuals are hiring goat rental companies to have their weedy yards and parks noshed bare and that we’re collectively starting to admit that the damn toxic crap folks used to use (please tell me your city is still not using that) may not be the way to go. Action step: Find out if there are goat rental companies near you, and, if so, encourage your city, company, or neighbors to use them when clearing weeds, ivy, or kudzu.
The Bad
To lock or not to lock. That was the question at our new community garden ten years ago (and perhaps at many gardens when the first ripe tomato gets swiped). Whether ‘twas nobler in the mind to suffer the stealing of an outrageous fortune in tomatoes, or to take arms against a sea of vandalizing passersby, and by opposing, end it. We decided it was a core tenet of the garden to not be locked so that anyone at any time could access it (especially because we knew that many people came by for meditative purposes, and that many new members found us by just wandering through one day).
We instead used proven methods to reduce these “random acts of heathy eating” (as our founding chairperson, Rebecca, referred to theft). These included:
Having a “sharing plot” (on which we put a sign that said, “Thieves: Steal here”);
Encouraging frequent harvests or donation of ripe crops (rotting crops show visitors that no one cares);
Resisting the temptation to automate or outsource watering and other garden-care (so that plotholders would get in the habit of coming frequently, resulting in people often being in the garden, thereby reducing the conditions conducive to theft);
Communicating widely via social media and local newspaper coverage so that people would associate names and faces with the work being done there;
Having lots of celebratory, educational and volunteer opportunities for non-members to plant, harvest, and enjoy the bounty.
Soooooo, you can imagine my sadness when time passed, people changed, and the dreaded lock appeared on the gate of the garden about two years ago. I got inside it for the first time this past week and was told that stuff got stolen again this year (even though the gate was locked), and there are zero designated hours per week or month when the garden (which is on public land) is open to the public.
All I can do is share what I know works, folks. And locks aint’ it. If you are involved with a community garden, please consider implementing the Best Practices outlined above and keeping your garden open for all (especially if it’s on public land). Action step: See here for more tips on starting a community garden on public land near you.
The WTF?
We had a Code Orange day this week due to poor air quality and I got to thinking about the kids who’ll be starting school next week here in metro Atlanta. Sure, it would be great if they walked or biked to school, but then reality hits and you realize that the son of a city councilor in my “family friendly” suburb-city was almost killed in a crosswalk with a crossing guard directly in front of his school and that kids are now supposed to carry these orange flags in many communities when they cross because people operating killing machines simply refuse to slow the f*ck down. Action step: See this great overview and tip sheet from the National Center for Safe Routes to School and try to help improve conditions where you live.
This is a national crisis on so many levels for so many people, not just for children, and the time for change is now. As we kick off another election season, here are my questions to all local candidates:
Have you walked a mile with a child (and not just in a big crowd on Walk to School Day)?
Have you pushed your mother in a wheelchair on your city’s sidewalks, or walked with her with a cane or walker? Would you be comfortable with her doing this on her own in your city?
Have you accompanied a mom with a newborn in a stroller all the way to the supermarket?
Have you crossed the street with someone who can’t see or someone who can’t hear?
Have you made sure every 12-year-old in your city can ride his or her bike from their homes to a community center or park or store without their safe route being compromised?
Have you stood at a non-traffic-signal crosswalk and counted how many drivers it takes before one stops (as is the law)?
“How To” Bonus Content
How to take your bike on mass transit
Metro Atlanta, where I live, is still one of the places where you can take your bike on all trains, buses, and the streetcar at any time — as opposed to many cities where you you’re banned from doing so during rush hours, which could add up to six hours a day and are, frankly, most likely the times you need the access. Here’s how to take your bike on a bus, train, and streetcar in metro Atlanta.
Some cities, and Amtrak, are now adding bike-only cars to trains due to this growing need. Action step: if your city is considering adding designated bike cars to trains, be sure there are diverse voices at the table so that the selected style can accommodate a wide range of bikes, such as adult tricycles and cargo bikes, for those with varying needs and abilities.
So, that’s that for this week, folks. I’ve done four issues of this newsletter now, and that was my original pilot goal but I’m enjoying this so I’ll keep going through August at least and we’ll see what happens next*. Sign up here so you don’t miss an issue (and so I know you’re out there!):
In the meantime, let’s keep reclaiming our collective heritage; our access to air and space and movement; and our power to elect people who have walked in our shoes (or are willing to try them on for size). Qualifying for local elections is happening in many places now. You are needed.
Trust the journey,
Pattie
* Note: If your company-doing-good needs a writer, feature/blog writing that makes a difference is my beloved wheelhouse and I have bandwidth for up to two new contract gigs starting September 1. Past major clients include Cox Enterprises (a selection from the blog I was hired to write for them is pictured below), UPS, the American Cancer Society, and more. See my LinkedIn profile here.