Plant Today, Eat Tomorrow!

Leslie Meyer, Build This Town Steering Committee

Guilty!  Yes, I am guilty of feeding my kids hot dogs and boxed mac and cheese during those rushed years when we were hustling from soccer, to violin lessons, to swimming.  Easy, attractive meals that I realized years later, were not providing my kids with essential nutrients.  The diet changed during their high school years.  I introduced whole grains (brown rice replacing white rice), more veggies, leafy greens.  The transition was necessary, but it was not peaceful.  In the end, I prevailed!  Today my adult kids all make it a priority to consume healthy foods -  a couple of them even turned pescatarian.  They learned that food is what fuels your body and brain.  Thankfully, current new parents are much more informed and make better choices for their kids.  However, healthy food can be expensive.  Good quality fruit and vegetables can only come from soil rich with nutrients that will be passed on to the plants we eat; and it can be pricey and out of reach for many.  

Fast forward to 2013 when I was thrilled to discover a terrific organization, right here in Columbia, that was growing fruit and vegetables and donating to the local food pantries.  The Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture (CCUA), founded in 2009 by a visionary team who believed we could grow top quality produce within our city to increase accessibility of healthy food.  CCUA’s Urban Farm on Smith street is also a center of education for our elementary schools.  In addition, their Opportunity Gardens Program provides the tools and know-how to low income Columbia residents so they can grow wholesome food in their own backyard.

And guess what?  CCUA is partnering with Columbia Farmers Market and the city to build an Agriculture Park!  The park will expand CCUA’s reach and improve its educational facilities, including an industrial teaching kitchen.  The project on Clary-Shy Park, the land adjacent to the ARC, is breaking ground this spring thanks to many generous supporters who helped raise the initial funds.  Now we need YOU!  We need your financial support, AND we need your wisdom and input as we formulate the programming that will take place at the Agriculture Park.

Let’s plant a legacy today so that many can eat tomorrow.