In Iowa City, Iowa, people are picking food from their neighbors’ gardens and it’s all part of the plan. Juicy red tomatoes, herbs, and other locally grown edibles are free for the taking, thanks to a new spin on the community garden. Anyone willing to plant vegetables where any passersby can harvest them can get free seedlings from Backyard Abundance, a local nonprofit that promotes ecologically beneficial landscapes. The plants come with “Pick Me!” signs encouraging neighbors to help themselves.
The annual garden giveaway was inaugurated last spring as part of the Iowa City Blue Zones Project, the city’s bid to become one of 10 Blue Zone areas that receive national assistance with transitioning to a healthier way of life.
The Blue Zones Project aims to foster healthier communities by making changes to the environment, such as making fresh produce and supermarkets accessible in urban areas, creating bike lanes, and installing playgrounds. Restaurants and grocery stores can also earn Blue Zones approval by making it easier for customers to choose healthy foods.
The free gardens appeal to environmentalists as well as health gurus. Mary Kirkpatrick has been growing cherry tomatoes and alpine strawberries for the past three years—first on her own, then as part of the Pick Me! Project.
The Pick Me! initiative was inspired in part by the Food is Free Project in Austin, Texas, a nonprofit that creates wicking bed gardens with reclaimed materials, such as wooden pallets and political signs. The organization hosts weekly build events to line entire streets with low-maintenance beds. The gatherings double as free workshops where residents learn to set up their own gardens and use eco-friendly growing techniques.
