STAR Education Launches Campaign for Culver City Community Learning Garden

Culver City already has one community garden, but it’s already at full capacity and has a long waiting list, so the nonprofit organization STAR Education, through its SAGE (Sustainable Agriculture Gardening Education) Project, is hoping to create a second one.

According to STAR Education, the aim of the garden is to create an “innovative new experiential learning garden that will meld the gardening spirit and goals of the Westside community with a groundbreaking educational experience for Los Angeles youth.”

STAR Education is currently considering two potential sites: one close to the intersection of College and Jefferson boulevards, owned by West LA College and a 6 acre plot currently owned by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors in the Baldwin Hills Conservancy.

STAR Education is reaching out to the community seeking potential steering committee members and supporters to take part in forming and planning this new community garden.

STAR Education says a new garden is desperately needed. According to the Los Angeles Times, as of June 2011, there were over 30 names on the waiting list for the current Culver City garden, with only 16 plots available. In addition, only a quarter of those have changed hands over the last few years.

“The need for a new community garden is not simply to provide movement on a waiting list. It is to address the serious health and nutritional issues that face our children today,” SAGE Project Manager Lee Wolkowitz said in an official press release.

 “As we become more and more aware of the serious health issues that have begun emerging into every community, it’s time we do something proactive and productive instead of watching and waiting,” he noted. “Let us work together in the creation of a new community garden that will not only provide a healthy atmosphere, but also a healthy life style.”

Goals for the SAGE Project include:

• Start a sustainable agricultural and garden education program
• Develop a core volunteer base and stewardship program
• Provide access to healthy organic, non-processed foods to those in need
• Create opportunities to conduct ongoing research for students in local colleges and schools
• Create an orchard that is highly visible, instructional and a draw to the garden.
• Create an outdoor kitchen and patio for groups to cook, eat and socialize as well as provide healthy and non-processed food to those in need
• Begin a Water Wise California Native Plant Garden Initiative and a Backyard-to-Food Production program

“This is a very promising sign for the future of community gardens in our own city,” said Ginny Blades of Transition Culver City. “[We're] looking forward to lifting our shovels with Lee & the STAR crew.”

SAGE plans to begin forming a steering committee, gather support and collect names for potential plot assignments, and is calling on the community for its support. For more information or to be placed on the mailing list please email sage@starinc.org or visit sage.starinc.org

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