Sometimes You Grow a Garden, and Sometimes It Grows You

An anecdote from Trish Woolbright, Opportunity Gardens Coordinator

This woman was a lucrative and amazing beautician (hence why she won't let me show her face: She didn't have her hair done and make up.) She has cancer, diabetes, and seizures now. She has home health care.

She came to me last year, "I think I got one of your beds - I moved in and it was there."

I asked, "Do you want to garden?"

She said, "Well the neighbors want me to. I don't eat vegetables though, but I'll try."

A year later, we have grown lots of things together; some successful, some she didn't eat, some she did. Many of her neighbors clean her out of tomatoes and greens and okra. She gets some too. Her other neighbor cooks for a nursing home, and will take the greens and herbs and such and give her meals out of them. I asked her today if she was ready to do it again next year. She said yes and gave me a huge list of the plants and things she wants, including a peach tree. I think she likes gardening.