If you live in Seattle, it won’t be long before you can pick your own fruits and veggies right in the city – and it won’t cost you a thing.
Set to be the country’s largest forageable food space, the Beacon Food Forest is located on seven acres of land donated by Seattle Public Utilities. It will contain a variety of fruit trees, vegetable gardens, herb plants, nuts, and seeds, and will resemble a real forest that encourages the community to come together and eat healthier.
According to Glenn Herlihy, one of the founders of the forest, it is expected to open to the public later this summer and will start growing food a some stage next year. There will also be room for community gardens, barbecues, recreation areas, and teaching spaces, all thanks to community volunteers and a $100,000 grant from the city.
In order to prevent greedy hands from taking all the food, there will also be a “thieves garden†with low-grade pickings for those who are tempted to take more than what they need. Herlihy also says that with so many people around, it’s less likely that anyone will feel comfortable taking more than what they need.
Public gardens like this are a great idea for cities all around the world, and when you think about it, it really is sad that industrialization and corporate greed have made it so difficult for millions of people to access fresh food from nature. This would do so much to alleviate the plight of the homeless, and more families would have the opportunity to teach their children about healthy eating and encourage them to make positive food choices. I really hope this catches on in other parts of the country, and world.
Do you have anything like this in your city?
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