The City of Los Angeles is home to the largest urban farm in the United States.The Farm is in Serious Danger.(for writing purposes,I'm just calling this place The Farm in this article/essay. I think the officical name is The South Central Farm.)
It's 14 acres of reclaimed in a run down poverty ridden/industrial park area, land that grows nut trees,fruits,a wide variety of vegetables and herbs,flowers,and who knows what other delights lie within?The Farm provides jobs for alot of poor families,who also grow enough to feed themselves.Everything is organic,and lots of time and attention have made this successful project what it is today.It's a lovely place,and a wonderful model that many cities could adapt to fit their needs,to the benefit of everyone.
I'm no legal expert,so I don't quite understand the legalities over the ownership of this land,but it's now in dispute.Actress Daryl Hannah was arrested a few days ago for being part of a protest to stop the eviction of The Farm's community from the land.The powers that be have also torn up some of the garden,just to be assholes about it.No one was armed or violent,they just stood their ground,there was no need for any destruction to have occured.
A wealthy think tankish foundation has offered to give the developer what he wants for the land that The Farm sits on(and taking the legal measures needed to let The Farm continue.There is also other land in that area containing warehouse space that this developer could buy,so it's not like he's even being driven out of the area),but negotiations seem to be hostile,so this could go either way.There seem to be lots of people willing to fight for The Farm,some with bucks,so they stand a chance of winning.When the little guy is doing the right thing,over ownership/bidness reasons,I cheer for their team.I like a good underdog.The Farm is Living Democracy in Action.And it's not just about the food either.You put poor people to work,you see lower crime rates,you see a pride in ownership and being part of something for the common good is good for you.Not just on paper,but a willingness comes to pay attention and be a good neighbor.You give people something to fight for and they will make sure the place stays safe and healthy.Projects like The Farm promote teamwork,co-operation,a support system,a sense that you belong.When you have that,you see less drug addiction,less family violence,more kids staying in school and staying away from gangs and drugs,people looking out for one another.I mean come on,this isn't rocket science.It works,in little places in almost every country on this Earth. Sure,shit happens and humans bring their own flaws to any venture,but for the most part,these models produce excellent results and are very cost effective if run by practical common sense.Call it a community enhancement,because those are the results.
A place like The Farm also gives a community a physical place,a heart.From that many other wonderful things can begin.Many places in our world today are "public",stores,sports arenas,malls,office buildings,and so on.But these places are often too big,you are small and undistinguishable in venues that large.Smalller community based public venues such as The Farm give us a much softer place to form our roots,which for many humans,is what helps them to feel strong and safe.When you feel strong and safe,grounded as it were,you make better choices that are less apt to be based on fear.From there you can spread your wings and fly.
You can read Larry King's interview from last night with Darryl Hannah here.
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