Growing Better People

 Veggielution Community Farm is pretty awesome—full stop.

There’s something almost magical about seeing crops grow from seeds one week and then sitting on your plate another.  Not only that, but you can see all the tender-loving-care in between as you plant, weed, and harvest alongside people from all walks of life at this community farm.

Before, I never really gave much thought to my fruits and vegetables. There was just hunger, a void that needed to be filled—and preferably in a tasty manner. Buy, consume, and move on; that was that. I seldom thought about where the produce came from, who grew them, and what they were treated with. Stickers and labels would clue me in sometimes, but I never cared enough to look into it deeper; all of these fruits and vegetables were strangers to me.

That’s where Veggielution shines; these questions sprout up naturally as you work to help grow these crops. It’s very easy to take our food for granted given how cheap and abundant it seems, but after a few days in the fields and with some sweat on your brow, it’s hard not to think about these questions when strolling down the aisles of a grocery store.

On top of that, Veggielution sells their produce at competitive prices with those of nearby grocers—sometimes even better. So, would you rather buy carrots that you know nothing about or carrots that you know are grown honestly and organically at a farm like Veggielution?

What’s more, Veggielution has been and is making strides to aid the community of east side San Jose. It offers a discounted CSA (a weekly produce subscription) called the Farm Box to low-income families and offers free nutrition and cooking classes for Spanish speakers through the Cooking Matters program.

San Jose youth are also empowered through the Dig Crew and School Gardens programs. Dig Crew engages high school students with discussions on food justice, nutrition, and they gain valuable work ethics whilst working in the field. The School Gardens program at McKinley and Goss elementary schools gives children the opportunity to learn garden basics and some plant science.

Any produce that has not been sold at the end of every week—up to a few hundred pounds every Saturday—is donated to Loaves & Fishes Family Kitchen which provides meals for those who are experiencing economic hardship and are struggling in the community. There’s nothing but love being seeded at Veggielution.

In a sense, Veggielution doesn't just grow fruits and vegetables; it’s growing better people too.

 Larry is a UC Davis alum and serves Veggielution as a multimedia tech.