Austin is a city that prides itself as being environmentally friendly, with its bike paths, farmers markets, green related festivals and the sustainable culture in general. Bike rental stations are popping up in strategic parts of downtown. Electric “Go cars” are all over the city.
The film “A Journey to Find A More Sustainable Community” immediately caught my attention when I saw a post card at “Recycled Reads” (book store) I knew it would be perfect for Austin Documentary Fans. This all sounds good, but what is the use of watching films about the environment (Chasing Ice), about the vanishing bee colonies (More Than Honey) and “Within Reach….” if all we do is watch? The film was a confirmation of my own sustainability convictions.
Pictured is one of the plots I manage at the school’s community garden
Austin Community College started a community garden for students last semester. I volunteered to plant and maintain two plots. Here are a few steps I took.
First, I gathered a load of compost from home and mixed it with the soil at the plot. I plated a bell pepper and two tomato plants. In about a week later about 30 volunteer plants popped up from the ground. These volunteers consisted of cantaloupes, watermelons and tomatoes.
Two weeks later it was apparent that I would have to move some of them to the larger garden. They are taking currently growing like there is no tomorrow. Two doses of compost tea and everyone is happy.
The leaves are very green and healthy which is a good sign they are getting the nutrients they need. Just yesterday I noticed that the small cantaloupe is now huge. I found others hidden behind the massive forest I have created. Perhaps this might be a good camouflage for potential critters and deer.
I noticed a pattern that is happening on my bi-weekly visits to the garden-students are watching, and asking me questions, we are having conversations. I met a student from Brazil yesterday. I congratulated him on his countries win in FIFA (soccer). He said “you know about FIFA?” I laughed and said “of course I know about FIFA. He went on to tell me about how he grew up on a farm in Brazil and how nitrogen, potassium etc… was so important for the tomatoes. I guess I am doing quite well because my new friend commented on how green all of the leaves looked. Towards the end of the conversation I gave him a tomatoes I had just picked. It is so amazing how those tomatoes came from tomatoes I had purchased from the store to make sauce for my homemade pizza. My friend said “look at this tomato, it isn’t perfect like the ones in the store, that’s how I know it is free of chemicals and all of the modern things used to produce perfect looking vegetables and fruit.”
The next visitor was as enthusiastic as the first. She wanted to know how this garden was organized and was surprised to hear that students and faculty at ACC all volunteered. This visitor walked around the garden as if she was in the Botanical Gardens. Another couple did the same.
Austin Documentary Fans 