While They Argue, Let's Grow Our Own Food.

WE of Healing Gaia, went through all the difficulties of this 'Great Recession' including the death of our benefactor,  foreclosure, theft of the estate by his family and a move from the foothills of Angeles Forest to a downsize in the high desert valley flatlands of Lake Los Angeles.  Over this last year of looking at countless neighborhoods of desolate junked up back yards, including ours, we discovered that we settled on some of the richest farm soil in southern California.  What I call Lancaster's rural ghetto sits on top of what used to be a huge prehistoric glacial mountain lake and is now home to the reputed sweetest onions in the world.  Well, last summer we fired up the tractor ( the one real assest we walked away with), tilled up a quarter of our back acre, found opened bags of soil, composte, mulch & seed being given away by Lowes and Home Depot, made rich rows and planted seeds of vegetables and flowers in 104 degree daily sun heat.  Despite my pessimism, everything grew hardy and tall, full of fruit.  We've lived off  this garden all summer and still are getting tomatoes, peppers and squash. My point to this all is, when I just filled out my mail in voter ballot and considered the concern around GE commercially grown foods, I give big thanks to what we've named as our 'Victory Garden'.  When I hear my neighbor moan about having to stand in line at social services for food stamps because her husband got laid off, again, I give big thanks for our 'Victory Garden'.  When I open my freezer and see all the natural organic food in there for over this winter, I give big thanks for our 'Victory  Garden'.  But to take this one step further, I'm hoping to take our little tractor over to hundreds of neighborhood backyards and help them set up their very own 'Victory Gardens'.  Through all this political bull sh-t  about food stamps, while our politicians are arguing for "points" let's band together and grow our own food.  If we could do it smack dab in the middle of the desert, so can you!  We can continue this momentum of local farmers' markets that I'm sure youv'e noticed all around you and bring back the 60's concept of food coops.   If any of you agree with me, please respond and we will give more advice on how to prepare the soil (it doesn't take a rocket scientist) and better yet, if you're in the Lancaster/ Palmdale area, we'll even bring our tractor over and help till you a garden.  love, H.G.