Deborah Fryman has worked in the non-profit world for more than 20 years, focusing on urban restoration through greening and community building. She was one of the founding members of the Los Angeles Community Garden Council in 1998. Deborah sat down with us and shared that, after the LA Riots, USDA and the US Forest Service wanted to support greening and agricultural projects in […]
Meet Ciro Gomez from Florence-Firestone Community Garden
Meet Ciro Gomez from Florence-Firestone Community Garden “Gardening with a bit of love,” Ciro Gomez of the Florence-Firestone Community Garden We had the pleasure of interviewing Ciro Gomez, a longtime member of the Florence-Firestone Community Garden who also serves as one of its Garden Masters. Initially from Mexico, Ciro finds in the garden an opportunity to relax and connect with his […]
Meet Bob and Diane Ridley of Pasadena Community Garden
Bob and Diane have had a plot at Pasadena since it opened back in 2012. Bob learned how to garden with the help of his wife, Diane, whose father had a gardening business. They both enjoy the fresh air, the friendships they’ve made, eating their produce, and the community garden aspect. Bob is also proud of the composting committee he […]
Meet Sophia Allen from Elysian Valley Community Garden
My daughter Abbie and I got involved with the Elysian Valley Community Garden through her Girl Scout troop a couple of years ago, and now we even have a plot of our own. I find that no matter how busy we get, we make time to come to the garden almost every day to work with the plants and get […]
Meet Miguel Zapata from La Madera Community Garden
Miguel Zapata has been gardening at La Madera Community Garden for 10 years. He appreciates and is passionate about the varieties of plants he is growing. “I don’t know much about the plants, I know that I love them.” He is proud to share that he avoids using pesticides and uses natural ways to care for his plants. Miguel and […]
Meet Fountain Community Gardeners
It was a hot Saturday morning in Hollywood when I arrived in the residential neighborhood where Fountain Community Garden is located. The vibrant green that saturated the lot stood out between the houses and apartment buildings. I stepped from concrete to dirt as I entered the garden and made my way through the plots to the back where I met […]
Meet Don Francisco at the Stanford Avalon Community Garden
It was 7:00 am on a Saturday morning, and I was sitting with Don Francisco under his little open hut to avoid the early morning sun and share some freshly cut pepinos from his garden with tajín and lime juice. We were in the Stanford Avalon Community Garden, an eleven city block-sized garden […]
Get to Know South Pasadena Community Garden
Get to Know a Garden: South Pasadena The South Pasadena Community Garden at 1028 Magnolia Street is an example of persistence, creativity, and volunteership. On May 14th, South Pasadena Community Garden participated in the Eclectic Music Festival featuring the bands Picture Show,Lagoonatix and a flatfoot dancer, Rebecca Stout. Folks of all ages enjoyed live music among the sunflowers, green onions, […]
Get to Know a Gardener: Heather Oblon
I talked to Heather Oblon on the phone a couple of times before I finally ventured down to Hermosa Beach to meet her in person. It’s funny to talk with somebody on the phone and get an image in your head. Then you meet and you finally get a chance to see if the image matches up. But she was much more […]