On Monday, I stopped in for a visit with Paul Rutkovsky's Get Green Art class/workshop. They have adopted two alleyways connecting Railroad Ave. to Gaines St. The alleys were abandoned by the city and overrun by litter and invasive plants. So, Paul, his students and other volunteers and artists cleaned up, planted, and decorated the alleys with artwork. They continue to do maintenance and integrate new artistic and landscape ideas on a regular basis. It's amazing how aesthetic and inviting the alleys are per their work.
Paul invited me both because he likes what I'm up to generally and because some of his students are interested in food gardening in the alleys. So I chatted with the folks in the picture-- Chris, Dana, Lauren, Echo (sigh, I can't remember remember everyone's name)-- about sunlight, drainage, seasonal vegetables, where fruit trees and where a raised-bed garden could be planted. We also talked about urban food production in other cities, community gardens and the food movement.
I recommend you take a look at their webpage. Here's just a taste. Amazing, right? (I love this image.)
