A Garden Grows in Downtown Mesa

You wouldn’t know it driving by, but nestled off Main Street and Ashland in downtown Mesa you’ll find a community garden that still flourishes even in the depths of Arizona’s summer. From seed-saving to teaching kids how to grow nutritious fruits and veggies for their families, the space offers a much-needed connection to the earth amidst a concrete cityscape.

The garden sits alongside the El Rancho Del Arte and El Rancho Del Sol apartment communities, which house more than 100 low-income working families. Local First Arizona has overseen the 28-bed garden since 2019 through a partnership with the building owner, Community Development Partners, and property management company MEB.

The garden’s purpose is not only to provide free garden space for residents to grow their own plants, but also to provide learning opportunities for children during after-school programming. Local First partners with Cultural Coalition once a month to teach kids in the garden space as well as in an indoor grow house, depending on the weather.

An oasis in a “food desert”

On a typical program day, children ranging in age from 4 to 12 years run excitedly from the apartment building to the orange gates that surround the community garden. Energized from an after-school snack provided by Cultural Coalition, they ask what kind of bugs they’re going to see in the garden. I help the kids identify different plants and bugs that they might find while they collect dried okra so we can save the seeds to be used for the next growing season. Screams erupt as the kids find worms in the soil, which is when I remind them to be careful because the worms help keep the soil healthy.

In the surrounding neighborhood, access to healthful foods can be challenging. The only source of groceries within walking distance is a corner market that sells processed snack items, frozen desserts, fried foods and sugary beverages. Community gardens can improve access to fresh fruits and vegetables in “food deserts” like this one, thereby providing local families the ingredients needed to cook more satisfying meals that are lower in sodium, unhealthy fats and processed sugars.

Kathleen, a resident who has been dedicated to tending her plot regularly, has learned from Local First the best seeds to plant each season and loves growing flowers to display in her home too.

“My flower bed is stunning,” she says, beaming.

Building healthy habits

Throughout the year, Local First harvests additional produce from the garden and shares it with residents in a communal kitchen on the ground floor of the apartment community during a bi-monthly food pantry and monthly kids’ cooking classes.

Depending on the season, bountiful harvests can include green onions, herbs, leafy greens, root vegetables—even fresh flowers. In spring and summer, the food pantry often smells of freshly cut basil, as the garden produces huge bushes that need to be picked each week.

These touchpoints allow Local First staff to build relationships with families and children and start conversations about healthy eating, no matter how active families may be in the garden itself. Residents can ask staff questions about seasonal food items, learn what grows best in Arizona and discuss potential recipes.

Rebecca, a devoted user of the food pantry, is always eager to bring home a selection of vegetables to cook with, as well as to chat with Local First staff.

“I am so excited, I love food!” she exclaims. “And I especially love the fresh produce and vegetables.”

Partnerships are vital
Local First wouldn’t be able to provide such a substantial food pantry to the residents if it weren’t for partnerships with United Food Bank and Waste Not Arizona, which provide over 400 pounds of produce per month, in addition to other essential items like canned and dry goods, deli meats, dairy products, bread and bottled water.

“The work we’re doing here in Mesa is really about creating community through food,” says Gabe Gardner, director of food entrepreneurship at Local First. “We’re trying to solve a lot of systemic problems in our food system by addressing it from a holistic viewpoint.”

Through teaching, growing, providing safe spaces for people to connect to food and creating opportunities to access healthful foods, the programs at El Rancho look to strengthen families and children and perhaps even inspire the next generation of farmers and chefs that will continue the cycle of healthy, communal eating.

How to get involved

If you don’t have access to your own garden space, becoming a member of a community garden could be the perfect option. They are plentiful throughout Arizona. Just head to www.goodfoodfinderaz.com, click Directory and sort by Community Garden to locate community gardens across the state.

If you’d like to support a community garden, Local First offers quarterly volunteer days at El Rancho Del Sol, where volunteers help to harvest produce, plant seeds, pull weeds, manage pests organically and add compost to enrich the soil. You can find upcoming volunteer days at www.goodfoodfinderaz.com/upcoming-events.

About Local First Arizona

Local First Arizona is dedicated to unleashing economic opportunity for Arizonans. We are a nonprofit community and economic development organization that boasts the largest local business coalition in the U.S. We deploy our innovative programs across the state to empower entrepreneurs of all backgrounds to succeed and communities to thrive. We call on all Arizonans to be champions of our state. Because our state is our story. Join us at localfirstaz.com to help build Arizona’s future.