I'm betting that we'll see more gardens sprouting up around the city this summer, thanks to the combination of tough economic times and awareness that homegrown food benefits both the Earth and the soul. Fortunately, Milwaukee has a thriving network of urban gardeners who can pass on their knowledge-and would welcome some help with their plots.
A good place to start is with the Milwaukee Urban Gardens' Web site at www.milwaukeeurbangardens.org, which provides links to more resources and loads of information about community gardens. Inspiration can always be found on a tour of Will Allen's Growing Power, through the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute, at the Urban Ecology Center, at a meeting of the Milwaukee Urban Agriculture Network (MUAN), or by connecting to the Shorewood Victory Garden Initiative, Alice's Garden in Johnson's Park, or the Bay View Garden and Yard Society.
To learn more about renting a plot from the county, contact the UW-Extension program. (Space is limited, so you may have to wait a year for some land.) And if you can't become a local farmer yourself, you can always support your local farmer by purchasing a share of a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. You'll eat well and help our region's farmers sustain Wisconsin's rich agricultural tradition.
Check out Milwaukee's Gardens:
Michael Fields Agricultural Institute
Milwaukee Urban Agriculture Network
Shorewood Victory Garden Initiative
Bay View Garden and Yard Society
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