Community Garden...Why not!?!

I was just chilling in my backyard, smoking away, and saw the rosemary herb on the corner of the fence. Then, I was reminiscing last year's Thanksgiving Day, and how I pulled bundle of rosemary herb with my friends to mix it with butter and rub it on the turkey. Also, the other time, I pulled some of rosemary leaves to add to my focacia bread. While thinking about this, I read this article regarding establishing a community garden in Dallas area.


This article was very interesting to me mainly because I always strive for organic foods. The author, Jim Shutze, was very clear on what he was saying, and was able to support with string evidences, such as interviewing with actual community garden would-be groups and supporters. To sum up his article, Shutze basically argued that Dallas City Hall, specifically Paul Dyer of the Dallas Park and Recreation Department, is blocking many eager supporters of community garden with unreasonable excuses.

According to Shutze, many eager community garden supporters encountered Dyer. Only way to create such a wonderful garden is to basically not going through the city lands. But one of main reasons that City Hall is blocking this great idea is because city wasn't getting "$300,000 in federal stimulus funds." Irony is that, all those supporters clearly said they don't need city's funding. They would use their own pocket money to establish the community gardens. hmmmm...That doesn't makes sense to me..

Regardless the federal funds, Dallas City Hall should actually use this kind of commitment and say "hey, we are doing this kind of program so, little funding please?" Personally, this would help City Hall to earn that $300,000 or even more. Also in Shutze's article he actually addressed this kind of suggestion, taken by Eric Griffin, interim director of the Office of Environmental Quality (on page 3 of article).

To me, Shutze's article sold me! He argued the both sides very well, with strong evidences of both sides, and definitely, he reasoned well why it is worth every penny to establish the community garden and why the Dallas City Hall is being a obstacle to garden supporters.

His article made me think so many times about so many things. First of all, I always buy those organic foods at the store, but you never know if it is truly an organic product. But having community garden, I personally know that it IS organic. But that's just minor thinking for me. But mainly, I'm wondering why the city hall would not commit to this kind of simple program. Politically speaking, is it going to hurt somebody or some departments' power? I'm not too sure, but if I have some kind of political power, I would praise a director who would support and considers people's opinions and programs, and would support that director to be seated on higher chair. Maybe I'm too opinionated about this issue, but I'm having hard time understanding Dallas City Hall and Paul Dyer.

It's just simple community garden....Why Not?!??