Ocean View Farms
Organic farm is a haven in the busy city of Los Angeles.
 |
Hail to the keepers of the ""vacant"" lot!
|
There's a "good thing growin'" in the middle of Los Angeles
RELATED CONTENT
If you like folk music and traditional hand crafts such as soap making, Mountain View, Ark., is the...
In this issue's mini-manual, the executive director of the renowned New Alchemy Institute tells how...
Did you know that factory farms could be a danger to human health? It’s nothing new for infectious ...
Guide to maintaining independence on the high seas....
Take part in a genuine Cousteau ocean adventure....
By Russ Novak
There's a "good thing growin'" in the middle of Los Angeles
If you wander around in West Los Angeles, you might come
upon a sight that's sure to warm any back-to-the-lander's
heart. There, on a hillside boasting a view (on clear days)
of the Pacific, is a replica of the traditional household
vege table plot . . . expanded a hundredfold!
During the winter months, Ocean View Farms announces its
presence only by an unobtrusive sign at the entrance to the
Little League field which adjoins it. In the spring and
summer, however, the land shouts a different
story: The yellow green of fresh produce and the brilliance
of flowers proclaim that this isn't just another open space
awaiting condominium conversion.
A PASSEL OF PRIVATE PLOTS
Since the urban agricultural experiment got underway in
1977, Ocean View Farms has offered area residents an
opportunity to cultivate more than just the hanging plants
in their apartment windows. Plots are currently leased for
$14 per year, and the gardeners report that the
soil—although it's a bit sandy that close to the
sea—can be very productive . . . once it has been
properly rebuilt.
According to the current OVF chairman (George Dodds, who's
been involved with the project since its inception), the
idea originated in meetings between representatives of
CETA, the Los Angeles mayor's office, and other
governmental and community organizations.
"We had long periods that were all talk and no
action," he said of the nebulous beginnings common to so
many grassroots community projects. After months of
frustration, though, some suitable unused land was located
. . . but—since the area in question had a view of
the coast, good drainage, and access to the
"amenities" of city life—many thought that OVF (and
its Little League neighbor) wouldn't last long before it
fell prey to the machinations of urban developers.
