A Family's Labor of Love in the Garden

As a young girl in Mexico, working in the fields with her family, Noemi learned how to grow food. She leaned about the joy and beauty, and the hard work of planting seeds that would then grow into amazing vegetables like corn, beans, and squash. She also learned about the more seasonal foods like green peas and fava beans. She remembers the excitement when it was time to harvest not only for the scrumptious food they would get to pick, cook, and eat but also for the feeling of being together as a family.

Once she moved to the West Adams area of Los Angeles, she looked for other gardens and ways to be involved with the community but never quite found a space that was close enough or was clear on how to get involved. One day her son’s school began Saturday volunteer days at their community garden. She brought the whole family and noticed how much fun the kids would have. It was a great way to be together.

Noemi’s aunt told her about the Erika J. Glazer Garden, and she joined as soon as there was an opening. During a recent interview, Noemi told us what it’s like to garden again. “Now we’re here regularly, and I teach my kids that it is a labor of love. I tend the surrounding plants when needed as well, and I look for interesting herbs and plants that neighbors are growing. Learning from others is one of my favorite things about the garden. There is always something to be done and you must be completely in the moment and aware, because if you plant something and abandon it, it will die. The garden is always changing and growing and teaming with life.” Noemi can’t imagine a time when she and her family are not here at the garden. Neither can we!