In some cultures, such as in the US, having a front yard of green grass is not only considered beautiful, it’s also a status symbol. In fact, it’s so important that some towns actually make it illegal to not grow grass in front of your house. But what if we were to use this land for something more useful? What if we saw the land in our communities as a resource that could provide free food to everyone?
One household in Austin, Texas had this very idea and started something called the Food is Free project. They took old, recycled materials like pallets and signs, and created a small garden in front of their home. They then put a sign out front, telling their neighbors what they were doing. The sign said that the food was free, and that the neighbors should write down their contact info if they wanted help building their own garden. The sign also explained that these small gardens are easy to build and even easier to maintain.
It didn’t take long for the neighbors to take interest in what they were doing. They saw them growing fresh fruits and vegetables, and wanted to get involved. Not only did this advance their project forward, but helped them get to know their neighbors better.
Soon, most of the households in the neighborhood had their own mini garden out front. This instantly made the neighborhood greener and more beautiful. It also meant that nobody had far to go if they wanted free food. Some people grew tomatoes; other grew leafy greens. Whenever someone needed vegetables, they just went and asked their neighbors.
What was once just empty space became a valuable asset to the neighborhood. Everyone pitching in made it so that there was always enough food to go around.
This is only one neighborhood, but the project’s goal is to get people all around the world to get involved. Look around you and notice all the empty space that’s available. Imagine if that space could be used to grow food to feed the people who live near you.