Statesman Journal columnist Jeanine Stice wrote a good one this week, "Get healthy: plant a family garden." She did some research about the health benefits of eating fresh vegetables; and some more research about organizations that teach and promote food gardening. That part includes comment about our man James “santiago” Santana and his SLC:
That kind of self-reliance and self-sufficiency is exactly what Marion-Polk Food Share's garden coordinator, Jordan Blake, encourages as he worked to nearly double the number of community gardens this spring to more than 10. Food Share, along with the city of Salem and community centers funded in part by Salem Leadership Foundation, are growing gardens. A garden can promote self-reliance and increase the availability of organic produce for neighbors and Food Share recipients.The progressive housing development of Pringle Creek hosts a sustainable living center, which will include restoration of two huge greenhouses in the subdivision under the direction of James Santana, and it will partner with South Salem schools on garden projects. Willamette University's in the loop with an Americorp volunteer working with Bush School to establish a school garden. And Marion County is gardening and selling garden starts through its "Fresh Start" program.
