Backyards Being Converted to Community Gardens in Santa Monica

Photo via ItzaFineDay via Flickr CC

We can file this under "Duh Solutions," but it simply took the right mix of demand for space and awareness about local food to get the "frontyard and backyard" registry started up in Santa Monica, helping to turn what is essentially the wasted farm land of urban yards into community gardens through land sharing.With too many gardeners filling up the waiting list for community gardens, it's taking as long as 5 years to finally get a plot of dirt to grow veggies. So gardeners and city officials started a registry to connect homeowners willing to have their yards turned into gardens with the people who are willing to do the gardening. An excellent land-sharing solution, and in sync with the urban homesteading movement.

The registry is just getting started, so it doesn't mean it's an instant dream come true for locavores. Not yet, anyway.

McCorry had said that although that idea to turn yards into edible landscape is getting a lot of support, the council is considering several possibilities.

"We're still in the planning stages," [Susan] McCorry said. "There's a lot of creative ideas cooking."

Ideas including connecting gardeners with preferences for simply growing flowers with homeowners who want simply flowers. Which is also a great idea as that helps with providing natural habitat for insects and small wildlife. Still, hopefully a lot of homeowners will want nice big plots of organic veggies, herbs, and fruits that can feed community members.

Via LA TimesMore on Urban Homesteading and Eating LocallyEating Local Food: The Movement, Locavores and MoreBack to the Earth on Earth Day! Urban Homesteading on the UpswingCuba Relies on Urban Gardens to Feed Hungry PopulaceUK Town Embraces Urban Farming on a Massive Scale