Gardening: Community plots offer way more than vegetables

I’ve written many times that a community garden is 90% about the community around the garden and 10% about the garden itself. No one knows this better than Johnny Edmondson and the Growing Neighbors community in Spokane.

In 2015 Edmondson began noticing that the community around Shadle Presbyterian Church in Northwest Spokane seemed to be looking for ways to connect with one another. Being on the staff at the church, he started asking people what they needed most. Out of the many conversations, it emerged that they wanted more connection with each other. Gathering over food brought more people into the discussions until it emerged that growing food and sharing it with each other was the best way to celebrate their community.

In 2016, the new Growing Neighbors community began building out their community by gathering and building garden plots in backyards. The vegetables harvested were shared with anyone who needed them. Volunteers helped teach gardening skills and provided follow-up support to build confidence and connection with the gardeners. Over the years, friendships grew as more people joined in the effort and began expanding in other parts of the area.

“GN takes an organic approach to their community development work, and it continues to evolve over time as additional collaborative partnerships are formed with individuals, families, and community organizations,” Edmondson said. “GN’s primary program is starting and expanding regenerative, communal gardening spaces and the primary goal is developing healthy connections and relationships between neighbors of diverse backgrounds and every member of the environment.”

Ten years on from the beginning in the Shadle area, Growing Neighbors has now spread into neighborhoods throughout the Spokane area and is on the verge of additional growth.

“Though community gardening is their primary practice, they engage in a variety of work related to food access, waste reduction, environmental care, and community development,” Edmondson said. “This includes communal meals, Little Free Pantries, food deliveries, workshops and demonstrations, farmers’ markets and other community events, composting and resource sharing, and sustainable housing villages. As community needs and assets arise, GN is adapting, developing innovative connections and programs, and always looking for ways to equip others to engage.”

Growing Neighbors’ organic and grassroots relationship development has led to many new partners including schools, libraries, churches, nonprofits, households, neighborhood councils, networks and businesses. Organizations like the Salish School of Spokane, Refugee and Immigrant Connections, International Rescue Committee, Thrive International, Spokane Public Libraries, Gonzaga University, the Lands Council, Spokane Community Colleges, and Whitworth University have all stepped in to be a part of the effort.

Growing Neighbors will host several events through the winter and early spring that celebrate its diverse community including the Growing Artists Benefit Show and the Garden Connections Event. Growing Chefs cooking workshops will be offered through the gardening season as will sessions on gardening, food preservation, composting, and making good use of repurposed materials. The dates and places for the events and other activities are listed on their website; growingneighbors.org.